A flat and error-prone Real Madrid slumped to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Sevilla on Wednesday night at the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan in Sevilla. Yassim Ben Yedder and Miguel Layun scored in the first half for the hosts, who then got their third via a late Sergio Ramos own goal, capping what was an abject performance from a heavily rotated Real squad.
Only a late consolation score from Borja Mayoral and a last-second penalty conversion from Sergio Ramos prevented Joaquin Caparros' side from registering a clean sheet victory. For the veteran manager, it was his second victory in as many matches since being named caretaker manager in hopes of earning a European spot for the Andalusian club.
All three Sevilla goals were the products of a Real mistake and hardly the performance manager Zinedine Zidane would have liked to have seen in the few matches remaining before this month's Champions League final.
Zidane made a slew of changes from the team that played to a 2-2 draw last Sunday in El Clasico. The only holdovers were Nacho, Sergio Ramos, Casemiro and Karim Benzema, as Cristiano Ronaldo, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Keylor Navas, Marcelo and Raphael Varane all remained in Madrid, along with the injured Isco and Dani Carvajal and suspended Gareth Bale.
After feeling each other out, Sevilla would strike first through Ben Yedder. A long ball was hoofed upfield where Luis Muriel beat Vallejo in the air and knocked a header down into the path of the Frenchman, who raced past Sergio Ramos and beat goalkeeper Kiko Casilla to make it 1-0 to the hosts.
Real lacked intensity and Sevilla were happy to take advantage by doubling their lead right before the break.
A defensive breakdown allowed Sevilla to get numbers in the Real box and after Steven N'Zonzi's shot off a Ben Yedder cross was blocked by Casilla, the former Stoke City man generously fed Layun on his right and the Mexican had an easy stroke into net for a 2-0 lead.
Los Blancos looked for a response and Ramos had a go at goal via a free kick 26 metres from goal but his effort curled wide.
The veteran centre-back would get an even better crack moments after a Vallejo goal-line clearance, as a Mudo Vazquez foul on Lucas Vazquez in the Sevilla area gifted Real a penalty. However, Ramos failed to convert against his boyhood club, slamming the spot kick off the crossbar.
The introduction of Mayoral for Dani Ceballos gave the Real attack a lift and they nearly pulled one back when Lucas Vazquez picked out Karim Benzema, but the veteran Frenchman bounced his shot over the crossbar.
But on a day in which the Real defence were far from their best, it was only fitting that another mistake gave Sevilla a 3-0 lead. Gabriel Mercado's attempted cross struck the leg of the diving Ramos and went spinning in past Casilla much to the delight of the home fans.
Real would get a consolation goal shortly before full-time, as Marco Asensio and Mayoral hooked up to avoid the clean sheet loss, with the latter heading home the former's cross from the right.
Ramos was then able to make up for his earlier miss from the penalty spot, by converting from the spot in the final seconds after Mercado was whistled for a shove on Theo in the area, thus completing the 3-2 scoreline.
Match Sheet:
3.- Sevilla: David Soria; Mercado, Pareja, Lenglet, Layun; N'Zonzi, Pizarro, Escudero; Mudo Vazquez (Roque Mesa, min. 79), Muriel (Sandro, min. 62), Ben Yedder (Carrico, min. 81).
2.- Real Madrid: Casilla; Nacho, Ramos, Vallejo, Theo; Casemiro (Llorente, min. 85), Kovacic, Ceballos (Borja Mayoral, min. 70); Asensio, Lucas, Benzema.
Goals: 1-0, min. 26: Ben Yedder; 2-0, min. 45: Layun; 3-0, min. 84: Ramos (og); 3-1, min. 87: Mayoral; 3-2, min. 95: Ramos
Referee: Mateu Lahoz (Valencian). Yellow Cards: Mercado (Min. 42) for Sevilla, Pizarro (Min. 69) for Sevilla, Ramos (Min. 83) for Real Madrid
Red cards: None
Stadium: Sanchez Pizjuan
Source: Marca
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