Real Madrid were defeated by RCD Espanyol, despite their struggle against relegation, by 1-0 in Barcelona on Saturday.
Espanyol winning against Real Madrid, 1-0, has certainly been one of the biggest surprises of this season. Although Madrid controlled possession and attacking play, Espanyol’s disciplined backline and clinical finishing made the difference.
It encompasses Esanyol’s struggle to stay alive in La Liga, as well as Real Madrid’s title ambition damage.
Real Madrid had the ball right from the opening whistle, trying to figure out ways to break down Espanyol’s compact defense. Clear-cut opportunities came hard, however, as Espanyol stuck to their duties and defended against pressure well.
In the 85th minutes of that match, Carlos Romero launched a skillful volley that landed in the net and dealt Carlo Ancelotti a knockout blow.
Assuredly, the forced substitution of Antonio Rudiger for an injury he sustained off the ball and the disadvantage of 15 minutes of game time widened Madrid’s already deep defensive injury woes.
Manolo Gonzalez’s outfit managed to hold on for three precious points to lift themselves out of the relegation zone, whereas Madrid allowed third-placed Barcelona to keep the gap down to four points.
