Shock Defeat for Real Madrid as Espanyol Steals the Show

- by Olatunji Johnson

Late goal by Carlos Romero leaves Los Blancos reeling and tightens the title race

In an unexpected twist in La Liga, Real Madrid suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat at the hands of a determined Espanyol side on Sunday. Carlos Romero’s 85th-minute volley secured a dramatic win for the relegation-battling hosts, leaving the Spanish champions leading the league by just a single point.

Despite entering the match as league leaders and favorites, Real Madrid appeared uncharacteristically subdued against an Espanyol team that played with grit and discipline. The game took an unexpected turn in the dying minutes when Romero, who had been involved in a contentious incident with French superstar Kylian Mbappe, was only booked for a cynical foul—sparking fury among Madrid supporters and prompting vociferous criticism from manager Carlo Ancelotti.

“Espanyol played a very good game; they defended well and did what they had to do,” Ancelotti told reporters. “Could we have done more? Yes. But this foul and the referee’s decision, confirmed by VAR, was inexplicable. It was a clear, ugly tackle, and we’re lucky there wasn’t a serious injury.”

Romero, who netted the winning goal, later admitted to feeling remorse over his challenge on Mbappe. “I knew Kylian is impossible to stop when he’s running. I stopped him how I could—it was a bit ugly. I didn’t like doing it, and I said sorry. That’s it, and there’s no more to it,” he explained to DAZN.

Real Madrid’s struggle was compounded by an early setback when Antonio Rudiger had to limp off in the first half, casting further doubt on their preparation ahead of their upcoming Champions League play-off against Manchester City. Although Vinicius Junior found the net during the match, his goal was ruled out following a foul on his marker by Mbappe. In the second half, despite moments of promise from players like Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham, Espanyol’s relentless counter-attacks proved too much. A swift break culminated in Romero’s decisive strike from a cross by Omar El Hilali, sending Espanyol’s fans into jubilation.

The loss intensifies pressure on Real Madrid as Atletico Madrid, fresh off a 2-0 win over Mallorca, now trail them by just a point ahead of their upcoming derby clash at the Santiago Bernabeu. Atletico’s victory was powered by goals from Samuel Lino and a superb lob from Antoine Griezmann, delighting the home crowd and marking coach Diego Simeone’s 500th La Liga match—a milestone that Simeone celebrated with heartfelt joy.

Meanwhile, Barcelona, who sit third in the table, hosted Alaves on Sunday as they continue their pursuit of the top two positions. With such dramatic turnarounds in La Liga, every match now holds even greater significance in this tight title race.

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