Real Madrid suffered their second La Liga defeat in the space of three days after losing 2-1 at Sevilla this evening.
A deflected free kick from Cristiano Ronaldo had sent the visitors into the lead, but a brace from Carlos Bacca ensured that Sevilla picked up their sixth consecutive league win.
The result left Los Blancos in third position in the table, with title rivals Barcelona and Atletico Madrid both picking up all three points against Celta Vigo and Granada respectively.
Here, Sports Mole dissects the 90 minutes of action between the two La Liga rivals.
Match statistics
Sevilla
Shots: 12
On target: 3
Possession: 31%
Corners: 2
Fouls: 13
Madrid
Shots: 26
On target: 8
Possession: 69%
Corners: 9
Fouls: 13
Was the result fair?
The statistics rarely tell a false story and in truth, Madrid will be wondering just how they failed to win this evening. Carlo Ancelotti's side had 14 attempts in the first period and but for some poor finishing and good goalkeeping from Beto, would have been three or four goals ahead. Opportunities dried up in the second period, but Los Blancos were still in control for long spells. That said, too often they struggled to find the final pass, with Sevilla breaking to score in what was one of their few clear chances in the second period. Sevilla's pure desire and work-rate overcame a wasteful Madrid team, who have dropped three points off the pace in La Liga.
Sevilla's performance
Unai Emery's side entered the match off the back of five straight league wins, with that run of form moving them into fifth position in the table and onto the heels of fourth-place Athletic Bilbao. They struggled for possession throughout the contest, but were brilliant in defensive areas, with Emery finding the perfect balance between attack and defence. It was the type of match where they needed a striker capable of converting limited chances and Bacca certainly answered the call. Ivan Rakitic and Federico Fazio were also standout performers for the home side, who restricted Madrid to very little in the second period. Emery's work this season has reportedly not gone unnoticed, with a number of European clubs believed to be monitoring proceedings.
Madrid's performance
Los Blancos needed a response this evening following the disappointment of El Clasico, but despite dominating possession and creating a number of chances, it just did not happen in the final third. It would have been a different second period had the likes of Karim Benzema, Ronaldo and Gareth Bale not been wasteful in the first 45 minutes, but Sevilla grew in confidence the longer that they remained in the match. The capital outfit were twice caught out with through balls, but goalkeeper Diego Lopez might feel that he should have done better, especially with Bacca's second. That said, it is difficult to be too critical of the visitors. They had enough chances to win the match, but simply failed to do so due to lacklustre finishing. After a 31-match unbeaten run, it is now back-to-back defeats for Ancelotti's side.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Ivan Rakitic: The Croatian registered his 17th assist of the season in the second period after producing a wonderful piece of skill on the half-way line, before sliding a through pass to Bacca, who made no mistake from inside the box. The 26-year-old has been one of the standout midfielders in La Liga over the last 12 months and it remains to be seen whether Sevilla can keep hold of his services in the summer. Aside from that moment of magic, Rakitic was class personified each time he had possession of the ball. It was another calm and composed performance from the Sevilla captain.
Biggest gaffe
The reason Madrid lost this match was due to their wasteful finishing, especially in the first period. Ronaldo and Bale were both guilty of passing up good opportunities, but the standout miss came from Benzema. The French forward arrived all alone inside the Sevilla box in the early stages of the first period, but somehow headed wide from close range. On another evening, the former Lyon striker would have had three or four goals.
Referee performance
It was certainly a busy evening for referee Jose Gonzalez, with the official issuing six yellow cards throughout the 90 minutes. However, the majority of the match passed without major incident. Gonzalez certainly played his part in creating the end-to-end nature of the contest, with the Spaniard allowing the play to flow in the correct areas, rather than whistle for every slight touch. He was not seen for long spells, which is always a good sign for a referee.
What next?
Sevilla: Emery's side will attempt to continue their incredible run of form when they travel to Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Madrid: Los Blancos return to La Liga action on Saturday evening with a home match against capital rivals Rayo Vallecano.
Matt Law
