Real Madrid’s title charge took a major hit on Saturday night as they suffered a shocking 1-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Espanyol, missing a golden opportunity to go four points clear at the top of LaLiga.
A 85th-minute winner from Carlos Romero sealed a historic win for the hosts, who absorbed wave after wave of Madrid pressure before striking on the counter-attack.
However, the real controversy of the night came earlier—Romero, the match-winner, had somehow escaped a red card for a brutal tackle on Kylian Mbappé, a decision that left Carlo Ancelotti fuming.
VAR Controversy: “Inexplicable” Decision Costs Madrid?
Romero’s 61st-minute challenge on Mbappé was calf-high, from behind, and reckless, stopping a dangerous Madrid counterattack.
Referee Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz brandished only a yellow card, a decision not overturned by VAR.
Carlo Ancelotti. (Photo by Maria Gracia Jimenez/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Ancelotti was left bewildered, calling the decision “inexplicable”:
“The decision the referee and the VAR took is inexplicable,” Ancelotti told a post-match news conference.
“Everyone saw it. The most important thing is to protect the player. It’s a clear foul, a very ugly challenge.”
“Fortunately nothing happened in terms of an injury, but the VAR is there for that. It’s inexplicable to us that he didn’t show a red card.”
Adding fuel to Madrid’s frustrations, Vinícius Júnior’s first-half goal was controversially disallowed after the referee ruled that Mbappé had committed a foul in the buildup.
Romero Speaks Out: “I Did What I Could”
The match-winner himself admitted to the rough nature of the challenge but insisted there was no malice:
“I knew that it’s impossible to stop [Mbappé] on the run.”
“I did what I could to stop him. The challenge was a bit ugly, I didn’t like that, and I said sorry to him.”
“It was a tough challenge, but it was meant to stop the counterattack, not to hurt the opponent,” González concluded.
Madrid’s Missed Chances and Defensive Nightmare
Despite dominating possession and registering 20 shots on goal, Real Madrid failed to find the net.
Rodrygo came closest, hitting the post in the second half.
Joan Garcia, Espanyol’s goalkeeper, produced seven stunning saves, including a brilliant stop from Mbappé’s curling effort.
Thibaut Courtois even came up for a late corner, but Madrid couldn’t break through Espanyol’s defense.
Madrid’s Injury Crisis Deepens Before Crucial Fixtures
To make matters worse, Antonio Rüdiger limped off in the 15th minute with a suspected hamstring injury, adding to Madrid’s defensive crisis.
Already missing Dani Carvajal and Éder Militão, and with David Alaba only just returning, Madrid now face:
Leganés in the Copa del Rey (Quarterfinals)
Atlético Madrid in a crucial derby next Saturday
Manchester City in the Champions League Playoff Round on February 11
With the January transfer window closing on Monday, Ancelotti hinted at potential signings:
“Rüdiger has a muscular injury. We’ll have to assess it, but we’ve talked about [reinforcements]. We’ve thought about it and we know what we have to do.”
LaLiga Title Race Heats Up! Atlético Loom Large
With Atlético Madrid winning 2-0 against Mallorca, Diego Simeone’s side are now just one point behind Real Madrid ahead of next week’s Madrid derby.
This shock defeat leaves LaLiga wide open, and with Manchester City looming in Europe, Madrid must regroup fast. Will Ancelotti’s men recover, or is this the start of a costly slump?
