Real Madrid suffered an unexpected 1-0 defeat against a struggling Espanyol side, narrowing their lead at the top of La Liga to a single point. The upset occurred just a week before a crucial derby against Atletico Madrid, who are now hot on their heels after a 2-0 victory against Mallorca. Carlos Romero’s late goal in the 85th minute secured the win for Espanyol, a team battling relegation and provisionally sitting in 17th place. Real Madrid expressed frustration over the decision to only book Romero for a cynical foul on Kylian Mbappe prior to his winning goal. Despite facing a team seemingly ripe for the taking, Real Madrid’s performance was lackluster and failed to generate enough opportunities to secure a victory.
The first half saw Espanyol effectively neutralizing the reigning Spanish and European champions, restricting Real Madrid’s chances and frustrating their attacking efforts. Adding to Real Madrid’s woes, Antonio Rudiger was forced off the field due to injury, raising concerns about his availability for the upcoming Champions League clash against Manchester City. While Vinicius Junior did find the back of the net, the goal was disallowed due to a foul by Mbappe in the build-up. Espanyol, on the other hand, posed a limited threat, with Thibaut Courtois comfortably saving a low shot from Jofre Carreras.
Real Madrid emerged from the halftime break with renewed vigor, and early chances fell to Jude Bellingham and Mbappe, with the latter hitting the post. The incident involving Romero’s cynical foul on Mbappe, which resulted in only a yellow card, further fueled Real Madrid’s frustrations. Despite increasing the pressure with efforts from Rodrygo and Mbappe, Real Madrid remained vulnerable on the counter-attack. Ultimately, it was a swift Espanyol counter that led to the decisive goal, with Omar El Hilali’s cross finding Romero, who volleyed the ball home. Despite seven minutes of added time, Real Madrid failed to create any significant chances, and Mbappe’s late miss sealed their defeat.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid capitalized on Real Madrid’s slip-up with a convincing 2-0 win over Mallorca, intensifying the pressure ahead of the upcoming derby. Samuel Lino opened the scoring in the first half, finishing off a move initiated by Giuliano Simeone, son of Atletico coach Diego Simeone. Antoine Griezmann, coming off the bench, added a second goal in stoppage time with a superb lob, securing the three points and delighting the home crowd. The victory also marked a significant milestone for Diego Simeone, as it was his 500th La Liga match as a coach.
Atletico Madrid controlled the first half, with Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloth both contributing to their dominant performance. Although Mallorca created some chances in a tighter second half, Atletico’s goalkeeper Jan Oblak proved a formidable barrier. Oblak notably tipped Sergi Darder’s free-kick onto the crossbar and also dealt with other attempts from Mallorca. Rodrigo Riquelme also hit the crossbar for Atletico before Griezmann ultimately sealed the victory with his late goal. The win served as a confidence boost for Lino, who has not been a regular starter this season.
The upcoming derby between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid promises to be a highly charged encounter, with both teams vying for crucial points in the title race. Real Madrid will be looking to bounce back from their unexpected defeat and maintain their position at the top of the table. Atletico Madrid, on the other hand, will be aiming to capitalize on their momentum and close the gap on their rivals. The match will also hold significance for Barcelona, currently in third place, as they face Alaves and aim to keep pace with the two Madrid giants. The results of these matches will significantly shape the La Liga title race in the coming weeks.
