October 03, (THEWILL) – A 2-1 loss to a magnificent Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium in Barcelona meant Real Madrid suffered their first La Liga defeat of the season and second in a row in all competitions.
The visitors got off to the better start, dominating possession in midfield and looked quick in attack, with Karim Benzema putting Diego Lopez to the test with a pair of early sighters.
However, Real Madrid attacked in numbers and left gaps in the defence. When Adri Embarba regained the ball in midfield, he sprinted easily into Real territory and forced Thibaut Courtois into a superb diving save.
Espanyol took the lead thanks to more of Embarba’s superb effort down the right flank. The winger got past Eduardo Camavinga before crossing superbly for Raul de Tomas, who scored with a clever touch at the front post.
The second half began similarly to the first, with Real in command, but Espanyol doubled their lead by exploiting Real’s porous defence. In front of a jubilant home crowd, Aleix Vidal picked up the ball in midfield and ran past a bewildered Nacho Fernandez before directing the ball past Courtois.
When De Tomas came through on goal, his effort flew inches wide of the post when it was easier to have scored and given Espanyol a third goal three minutes later.
Real tried for an equaliser by bringing on Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic. Los Blancos were given hope by talisman Benzema who cut inside before smashing home to draw one back for the visitors.
Real pressed forward in numbers but were unable to equalise against a well-organized defence.
It was a dreadful result that completed an equally dreadful week, especially for new manager Carlo Ancelotti, with yet another setback after their upsetting midweek home loss to Sheriff in the UEFA Champions League.
Real remain in first place, but are struggling to get back to winning ways. The team is expected to use the international break to regroup before hostilities resume with a game against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, October 17.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
