Real Madrid 2 - Espanyol 2

Madrid: Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Cannavaro, Heinze; Van der Vaart (Robben 46', Drenthe 70'), Diarrá, De la Red (Sneijder 65'); Higuaín, Van Nistelrooy, Raúl. 4-3-3.
Espanyol: Kameni; Sergio Sánchez, Jarque, Nico Pareja (Lacruz 46'), Beranger; Moisés Hurtado, Román Martínez (Angel 61'); Luis García, De la Peña (Coro 74'), Nené; Tamudo. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Madrid: Cannavaro, Higuaín for Marcelo, Robben / Espanyol: Beranger, De la Peña for Chica, Coro.

Goals:
0-1. 21. Tamudo (penalty). After Tamudo himself brought down by Heinze.
1-1. 25. Raúl. Steered header down past Kameni from Sergio Ramos cross.
1-2. 31. Luis García. Got on end of Román's cross to slide ball in on far post.
2-2. 45. Raúl. Took Van der Vaart pass and struck angled shot wide of keeper.

Yellow cards: Pepe 37', Sergio Ramos 42', De la Peña 66', Diarrà 92'.

Real Madrid lost ground on their rivals after they were held to a 2-2 draw by Espanyol, and they ended the weekend in fifth spot. Tamudo opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the twentieth minute after he was brought down by Heinze, his first ever goal in the Bernabeu stadium. And although Raúl headed an equaliser soon afterwards from a Sergio Ramos cross, Luis García got on the end of Román's centre to restore the lead five minutes later.

Luis García could have put his side further in front with a free kick which hit the foot of the post, Moisés heading the rebound wide. But on the stroke of half time Raúl got his second of the night to make it all square again, and after that Madrid were on top. Kameni made a couple of first class saves from Van Nistelrooy though after the break, Higuaín and Robben both failed to convert chances, and referee Pérez Burrull turned down no less than three good penalty claims, two from the hosts and one from the visitors. Espanyol will be happy with the result, and Bernd Schuster's side find themselves out of the top four.