
LaLiga leaders Real Madrid suffered a shock defeat at the hands of relegation-threatened Espanyol, falling 1-0 after a late strike from Carlos Romero stunned Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
The Los Blancos thought they had taken the lead in the 21st minute when Vinicius Jr slotted home from Kylian Mbappe’s pass. However, the goal was ruled out after the Frenchman was adjudged to have fouled Pol Lozano in the buildup.
Despite dominating possession, Real struggled to break down a resolute Espanyol defence. Lucas Vazquez, Rodrygo, and Jude Bellingham all tested goalkeeper Joan Garcia, but the shot-stopper produced a series of outstanding saves to keep his side in the contest.
With time running out, Espanyol struck the decisive blow in the 85th minute. Omar El Hilali found Romero inside the box, and the forward made no mistake, firing past Andriy Lunin to seal a famous victory for the hosts.
The defeat sees Real Madrid remain top of LaLiga with 49 points, but their lead has been cut to just one point after Atletico Madrid secured a 2-0 win over Mallorca.
With the title race heating up, Ancelotti’s men will need a quick response to avoid losing their grip on the top spot.
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