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Real end miserable year with 2-1 home defeat
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-12-22 09:14 MADRID, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Real Madrid ended their
year in miserable fashion as they were jeered off the pitch after a 2-1 defeat
by Racing Santander at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Ronaldo reacts
after a missed opportunity against Racing Santander during their Spanish
First Division soccer match at Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium in
Madrid December 21, 2005. [Reuters] | Real's
fourth home loss of the season came two days after the club confirmed caretaker
coach Juan Ramon Lopez Caro as the man in charge until the end of the season.
Real dropped to fifth in the Primera Liga 11 points adrift of leaders
Barcelona who notched up their 13th consecutive win in all competitions with a
2-0 victory over Celta Vigo at the Nou Camp on Tuesday.
"We have to try and stay calm," Real vice-president Emilio Butragueno told
reporters after the match. "We didn't expect this and we will have to see if
little by little we can recover, but it won't be easy."
Champions Barca have 40 points from 17 games, five ahead of second-placed
Osasuna who will defend a 100 percent home record against Atletico Madrid in the
final game of the year on Thursday.
Valencia moved up three places into third on 32 points after a high-class 3-0
win over struggling Real Mallorca.
Midfielder David Albelda set the home side on the way with a rasping shot
just after the break, leading striker David Villa made it 2-0 with a spectacular
bicycle kick and defender Fabio Aurelio wrapped up the win with an unstoppable
volley.
Valencia's regional rivals Villarreal are fourth, a further two points back,
after a 0-0 draw at Malaga while Real Madrid are a point behind Manuel
Pellegrini's side in fifth.
In Wednesday's other matches Real Betis hauled themselves off the bottom of
the table with an emphatic 3-0 win at home to Alaves -- their first victory in
10 outings.
The Basque side have replaced them at the foot of the standings with 12
points from 17 games.
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