In a shocking turn of events, LaLiga leaders Real Madrid suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat against relegation-threatened Espanyol on Saturday. The result not only stunned the Real Madrid squad but also provided a critical boost for Espanyol, lifting them to 17th place in the league table with 23 points.
The decisive moment of the match came in the 85th minute when Carlos Romero capitalized on a through-ball from Omar El Hilali. His well-placed shot found the back of the net, handing Espanyol their crucial victory.
Despite dominating possession, Real Madrid struggled to convert their chances into goals. The team recorded several opportunities in the second half, with Lucas Vazquez, Rodrygo, and Jude Bellingham all having their efforts thwarted by Espanyol’s goalkeeper Joan Garcia. Earlier in the match, Vinicius Jr appeared to have given Real Madrid the lead in the 21st minute, but his goal was disallowed due to a foul committed on Espanyol's Pol Lozano.
Real Madrid's coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed his frustration over the officiating, particularly regarding a foul from Romero on star player Kylian Mbappe. Ancelotti believed that the tackle warranted a harsher penalty than the yellow card shown to Romero.
“This foul is inexplicable, the decision they made, the referee, the VAR. The most important thing is to take care of the player and protect him. It was a very bad tackle that risked injury, which fortunately did not happen,” – Carlo Ancelotti
The loss is a setback for Real Madrid as they prepare for an important derby match against Atletico Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu next weekend. With 49 points, Real Madrid is just one point ahead of Atletico Madrid, who sit at 48 points. Meanwhile, Barcelona trails closely behind in third place with 42 points.
Romero expressed his joy following the victory, emphasizing the importance of the win for his team's morale.
“I think this gives us life, we were playing good matches, competing, we had to suffer … Our people give us an edge and at home we have to be strong, it’s going to be very difficult to take points away from us here,” – Carlos Romero
