Soccer Football – LaLiga – Sevilla v Real Madrid – Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Seville, Spain – October 21, 2023

Real Madrid’s Rodrygo in action | REUTERS/Marcelo Del Pozo

Real Madrid Battles Back to Secure Draw Against Sevilla

SEVILLE, Spain (Reuters) – In an intense match on Saturday, Real Madrid fought back to secure a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Sevilla. Captain Dani Carvajal’s late header helped the LaLiga leaders maintain their position at the top of the table after David Alaba’s own goal had given Sevilla the lead.

Real Madrid now sits on 25 points from 10 games, three points ahead of surprise package Girona, who will face bottom side Almeria on Sunday. Barcelona, currently in third place with 21 points, will play against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

The match in Seville proved to be a fiery affair, with Real Madrid’s players and manager Carlo Ancelotti expressing their frustration at several contentious refereeing decisions. Two early disallowed goals added fuel to the fire, as Federico Valverde’s strike was ruled offside and Jude Bellingham’s goal was disallowed due to a stoppage in play. Real Madrid also claimed a foul by Jesus Navas on Vinicius Jr. in the penalty area, but their appeals were turned away.

Sevilla fought back and came close to scoring as Carvajal made a crucial goal-line clearance to deny Ivan Rakitic. Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos, facing his former club for the first time since rejoining Real Madrid, also made a crucial clearance to help keep the game level before halftime.

The second half showcased the brilliance of both goalkeepers, with Kepa Arrizabalaga and Orjan Nyland making spectacular saves to keep their respective teams in contention. Nyland’s reflex save denied Rodrygo’s point-blank strike, while Kepa palmed away Rakitic’s long-range effort.

However, it was Real Madrid who fell behind when defender Alaba scored an own goal while challenging Youssef En Nesyri in the 74th minute. Carvajal quickly equalized four minutes later with a powerful close-range header from a cross by Toni Kroos.

The intensity of the match escalated towards the end, with several scuffles leading to five bookings in the final minutes. Ancelotti, frustrated by the referee’s decisions, received a yellow card for his complaints. In a press conference, Ancelotti ironically stated that the referee “was right in every decision” in an effort to avoid a suspension.

Reflecting on the match, Ancelotti praised Sevilla as a difficult opponent and acknowledged the two disallowed goals by his team. He expressed satisfaction with the result, considering the challenging circumstances of playing in Sevilla’s stadium.

Reported by Fernando Kallas in Madrid; Edited by Ed Osmond and Hugh Lawson

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