Espanyol 1 – 0 Real Madrid
Real Madrid’s winning streak in La Liga came to an end as Carlo Ancelotti’s side suffered a narrow defeat.
For most of the final 30 minutes, Real Madrid dominated possession, keeping the ball deep in Espanyol’s half. They launched relentless attacks, creating multiple opportunities, yet they couldn’t find the elusive equalizer. Instead, it was Espanyol, a team from the lower end of the league table, that struck late on the counterattack to secure a stunning victory.
At the RCDE Stadium on Saturday night, last season’s champions were handed a 1-0 loss. The decisive goal came just five minutes before full-time, courtesy of Carlos Romero.
Earlier in the day, Atlético Madrid had closed the gap to just one point with a 2-0 win over Mallorca. With this loss, Real Madrid missed the chance to extend their lead back to four points, tasting their third defeat of the season.
After 22 matches, Real Madrid remains on top with 49 points from 15 wins and 4 draws. Atlético Madrid follows closely with 48 points from the same number of games. The two Madrid giants are set to face off next Saturday at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Meanwhile, Barcelona sits third with 42 points from 21 games.
Match Overview
The game saw a mix of attacking moves from both sides, but clear-cut chances were few and far between in the early stages. In the 15th minute, Real Madrid suffered a setback when experienced defender Antonio Rüdiger had to leave the field due to discomfort in his leg. Young defender Raúl Asensio replaced him.
Espanyol managed the first shot on target in the 18th minute when Spanish forward Carreras struck a low drive, only for goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to make a diving save.
In the 22nd minute, Vinícius Júnior found the back of the net with a brilliant finish, but the goal was disallowed as the referee ruled a foul on Espanyol’s midfielder Pol Lozano inside the box by Kylian Mbappé.
Just a minute later, Espanyol had a golden opportunity, but Roberto Fernández failed to get a proper shot off inside the box.
Despite dominating possession, Real Madrid managed their first shot on target in the 39th minute, a tame effort from Jude Bellingham that was easily collected by the goalkeeper.
Second Half Drama
Espanyol’s Romero wasted a glorious chance in the 50th minute when he broke free inside the box but sent his shot well over the bar. A minute later, Bellingham forced a low save from goalkeeper Juan García, with the rebound falling to Mbappé, whose sharp-angle shot hit the post.
Madrid continued to ramp up the pressure. In the 72nd minute, Bellingham’s curling shot flew just over the crossbar, followed by a low drive from Vinícius that narrowly missed the target a minute later.
Rodrygo came agonizingly close in the 76th minute when his close-range shot struck the post after being deflected by the goalkeeper. Moments later, García once again denied Mbappé with a stunning diving save.
The Decisive Moment
Then, in the 85th minute, Espanyol stunned Real Madrid with a perfectly executed counterattack. A pinpoint cross found Romero at the edge of the six-yard box, and he finished with a brilliant volley to give his side the lead.
Despite desperate attempts in the closing minutes, Real Madrid failed to find an equalizer.
With this vital victory, Espanyol moved out of the relegation zone. They now sit 17th in the standings with 23 points from 22 matches.
