The LaLiga leaders were left stunned by Carlos Romero’s 85th-minute strike, which secured a victory for the relegation-threatened hosts.
Real Madrid, the LaLiga leaders, suffered a shocking 1-0 defeat against Espanyol, with Carlos Romero scoring the decisive goal late in the game.
Following this result, Real Madrid maintains their lead with 49 points, just one point ahead of Atletico Madrid, who won 2-0 against Mallorca before the upcoming capital derby at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Barcelona, currently in third place with 42 points, will face Alaves in their upcoming match on Sunday.
Real Madrid seemed to take the lead in the 21st minute through Vinicius Jr, but the goal was disallowed due to a foul by Kylian Mbappe on Espanyol’s Pol Lozano.
Despite numerous attempts by Real Madrid in the second half, Espanyol’s goalkeeper Joan Garcia thwarted all efforts from Lucas Vazquez, Rodrygo, and Jude Bellingham.
There was controversy when Romero fouled Mbappe during a counterattack, receiving only a yellow card as Real Madrid urged for a VAR review.
“This foul is inexplicable, the decision made by the referee and VAR. The priority is to protect the player and avoid any injury risk. Fortunately, Mbappe was not injured,” said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Despite substitutions by Ancelotti, Romero managed to break the deadlock in the 85th minute by scoring from Omar El Hilali’s through-ball.
Espanyol’s victory lifted them to 17th place with 23 points, just above the relegation zone.
“This win gives us confidence. Our home support is crucial, and we need to continue being strong in front of our fans,” Romero commented to DAZN.
