adminREAL MADRID surrendered top spot in La Liga as they failed to win for a fourth consecutive game in a 1-1 draw at home to Basque minnows Eibar yesterday.
Atletico Madrid now lead their city rivals on goal difference at the top of the table despite missing two penalties as Antoine Griezmann and Kevin Gameiro netted in a 2-0 win at Valencia.
Barcelona can go top with victory at Celta Vigo later yesterday.
The population of Eibar would fit into Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium three times over, and the travelling fans celebrated their first ever league goal against Madrid when Fran Rico headed home Pedro Leon’s cross despite Keylor Navas’s best efforts after just six minutes.
Normal service appeared to have been resumed just nine minutes later when Cristiano Ronaldo’s lofted cross to the back post was headed home by Gareth Bale for his 50th La Liga goal.
However, Real were met with a cacophony of whistles at fulltime as they failed to convert their pressure into a winner after the break.
The European champions badly missed the presence of Luka Modric, who is set to be sidelined for a month after undergoing knee surgery yesterday morning.
Eibar could even have retaken the lead when Leon waltzed past Danilo before his rising drive was beaten behind by Navas.
Real took almost an hour to get firm control of the game and Ronaldo had the chance to snatch the three points when he blasted over from point-blank range.
A super Bale header also came back off the post and substitute Alvaro Morata had a goal rightly ruled out for offside as Eibar held on for a historic point. — SuperSport
Online Reporter