Real Madrid's winning run surprisingly ends in loss at Espanyol

Real Madrid’s winning run surprisingly ends in loss at Espanyol

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Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, centre and Luka Modric, right, react after Espanyol’s Carlos Romero scored the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Real Madrid at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday Feb.1, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

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Espanyol players celebrate after Carlos Romero scored the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Real Madrid at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday Feb.1, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

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Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, centre, reacts after Espanyol’s Carlos Romero scored the opening goal during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Real Madrid at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday Feb.1, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

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Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior protests during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Real Madrid at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday Feb.1, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

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Real Madrid’s head coach Carlo Ancelotti watches the play in front of the substitutes bench during a Spanish La Liga soccer match between Espanyol and Real Madrid at the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday Feb.1, 2025. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid’s winning run ended in stunning fashion after losing at relegation-threatened Espanyol 1-0 on Saturday in La Liga.

Defender Carlos Romero’s late goal beat the La Liga leader and moved Espanyol out of the bottom three.

Espanyol inched two points clear of the drop zone, while Madrid’s lead was cut to one point after Atletico Madrid beat Mallorca 2-0 earlier.

Madrid, which found out on Friday that it will face Manchester City in the Champions League knockout playoff round, travelled to Espanyol with 10 victories in its last 11 matches in all competitions.

It dominated and Vinícius Júnior thought he gave the visitors the lead in the 21st minute but it was ruled out due to a foul by Kylian Mbappé on Espanyol midfielder Pol Lozano.

Madrid was made to pay for its missed opportunities five minutes from time when Romero volleyed in Omar El Hilali’s cross, much to the home fans’ raucous — and surprised — delight.

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Back to winning ways

Atletico went into its match against seventh-placed Mallorca having lost both of its last two league matches and with only two wins in its last four games after a run of 15 consecutive victories.

It took the lead in the 26th minute when Giuliano Simeone sprinted down the right before rolling the ball across the edge of the area for Samuel Lino to fire into the bottom right corner.

Rodrigo Riquelme hit the crossbar with a free kick two minutes from time and provided the through ball for substitute Antoine Griezmann to run onto and delightfully chip the goalkeeper and seal the match in stoppages.

Fifth-placed Villarreal crushed bottom club Real Valladolid 5-1 and Getafe drew with Sevilla 0-0.

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