Sevilla 1-1 Real Madrid (Oct 21, 2023) Game Analysis

A late header from captain Dani Carvajal secured Real Madrid a 1-1 draw at Sevilla on Saturday because the LaLiga leaders battled again after David Alaba’s personal objective had given the hosts the lead.

Madrid moved on to 25 factors from 10 video games, three forward of Girona, the shock bundle of the season who host backside facet Almeria on Sunday. Barcelona, third on 21 factors, face Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

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It was a feisty affair in Seville, as a annoyed Real have been thwarted by two early disallowed efforts following contentious refereeing selections.

Madrid gamers and supervisor Carlo Ancelotti complained to the referee repeatedly within the first half; first when he dominated out an early Federico Valverde strike for an offside within the build-up; then when Jude Bellingham had the ball within the web however the referee mentioned he had already stopped play so a Sevilla participant might obtain medical consideration; and in addition once they claimed Jesús Navas had fouled Vinicius Junior within the field however the referee noticed no infringement.

After praising the referee in his press convention, Ancelotti admitted he was attempting to keep away from a suspension.

“Irony is the only way. If I say what I think about the refereeing I’ll get a [ban of a] lot of games,” Ancelotti, who was proven a yellow card for complaining, advised Real Madrid TV. “I like to sit on the Real Madrid bench, so to avoid a ban I don’t say what I think, and I use irony.”  

Sevilla then began to combat again into the match and virtually scored as Carvajal made a goal-line clearance to maintain out an Ivan Rakitic strike.

Defender Sergio Ramos, going through the membership the place he made his identify for the primary time since rejoining his childhood crew, made a vital goal-line clearance of his personal to assist Sevilla maintain the sport degree earlier than halftime.

The second half was all in regards to the goalkeepers, with each Kepa Arrizabalaga and Orjan Nyland making good saves to maintain their sides in rivalry.

Sevilla’s Nyland made a superb reflex save to disclaim a Rodrygo point-blank strike early on, and Real’s Kepa palmed around the publish a positive Ivan Rakitic strike from vary.

But Real went behind after an personal objective by defender Alaba as he challenged ahead Youssef En Nesyri within the 74th minute.

Carvajal levelled the rating 4 minutes later, nevertheless, with a towering close-range header from a Toni Kroos cross.

The match grew to become more and more tense, with 5 bookings within the closing minutes following a few scuffles.

“It was an even, competitive game with intensity,” Ancelotti mentioned in his information convention afterward. “We started well but didn’t take the chances we had. In the second half Sevilla played well, with intensity. The result seems right to be. It was a draw, we tried, Sevilla tried.”

He added: “In the first half Rodrygo and Vinicius [Junior] with the support of the team created a lot of chances, we were close to scoring. The second half was more difficult, we lacked a bit of energy, we suffered a bit more and we didn’t have the control we wanted.”

Shortly after the sport, Sevilla mentioned it had expelled a fan from its stadium and filed a criticism with police after the spectator allegedly displayed “xenophobic and racist behavior.” Sevilla didn’t specify what the habits was, or any supposed goal.

ESPN’s Alex Kirkland, Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.