Sevilla Defeat Real Madrid in La Liga Upset; Sergio Ramos Scores, Nets Own Goal
Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos scored late to pull Los Blancos within one, but it wasn't enough to keep them from slipping to a surprise 3-2 La Liga defeat to Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on Wednesday night.
The visitors were without the injured Cristiano Ronaldo and went behind to Wissam Ben Yedder's opener after 26 minutes. Miguel Layun took advantage of some poor defense to add a second just before half-time.
Real Madrid had chances after the break, but Ramos hit the crossbar from the penalty spot after Lucas Vazquez had been fouled.
Ramos then accidentally diverted Gabriel Mercado's shot past Real Madrid goalkeeper Kiko Casilla before Los Blancos pulled two goals back late on.
Borja Mayoral headed home on 87 minutes, and Ramos then scored from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time after Theo Hernandez had been pushed over.
Zidane Must Improve Defence Quickly
Real Madrid put in the kind of defensive display that will have UEFA Champions League final opponents Liverpool licking their lips.
Sportswriter Andy West said the Reds would enjoy the performance:
Wissam Ben Yedder got the better of Ramos for the opener, and Steven N'Zonzi then sliced the visitors wide open for the second, which was scored by Miguel Layun.
Ramos diverted Gabriel Mercado's shot past Casilla for Sevilla's third, and the hosts had several chances to score more.
Real Madrid have now gone nine games without a clean sheet in all competitions, and their defence will be a real worry for manager Zinedine Zidane ahead of the final in Russia.
Caparros Has Sevilla Heading in the Right Direction
Sevilla have endured a chaotic season with manager Eduardo Berizzo sacked in December 2017 and his replacement Vincenzo Montella getting fired four months later.
Joaquin Caparros was appointed at the end of April until the end of the season, and his impact has already been felt.
Caparros' side have now won two games in a row, and he has the side motivated and hungry, according to football journalist David Cartlidge:
The victory boosts their chances of qualifying for next season's UEFA Europa League too. The team are now seventh with two games left to play and have qualification in their own hands.
Ramos Needs to Calm Down
Ramos returned to his former club and endured an eventful evening as he scored a goal, an own goal, missed a penalty and picked up a booking for a deliberate handball.
Josh Wright at WhoScored.com highlighted his contribution to the game:
Opta showed how his two own goals in La Liga have both come against Sevilla:
It was an error-strewn performance by the Real Madrid captain, although he did show character by taking the second penalty after having already missed from the spot.
When he did manage to put the ball in the back of the net he decided not to celebrate, a decision which seemed to bemuse Dermot Corrigan at ESPN FC:
Ramos is a key figure for Real Madrid, but his team need more discipline from their captain and less time in the spotlight.
Sevilla Aren't Scared of Real Madrid
Sevilla's win over Real Madrid was the fifth time in six seasons they have beaten Los Blancos on their home turf.
La Liga showed their record:
It was the same story again on Wednesday as Sevilla won 3-2, but the scoreline flattered Real Madrid, who were easily second-best.
Two late goals gave the score some respectability, but while Real Madrid may intimidate some teams in La Liga, they hold no fear for Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizuain.
What's Next?
Real Madrid are back in La Liga action on Saturday as they welcome Celta Vigo to the Santiago Bernabeu. As for Sevilla, they are also in action on Saturday as they have a derby with Real Betis. The last time the two sides met, Sevilla lost a thriller 5-3 back in January.
