MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2019 16 Real overturned by Girona Sergio Ramos sent off as Real Madrid’s resurgence is ended by Girona header. creeping inside the post. Marcelo and Ramos Madrid slipped from comfort- Vinicius and Bale both came • able to complacent and shortly on but Vinicius three times disaster rocks Real title after the hour they were pun- missed the target from good po- hopes in the shock defeat ished. Stuani’s header spilled sitions, while Bale was whistled out to Douglas Luiz, whose fin- at one point after losing pos - A brilliant second- ish was blocked by the hand of session. half• performance from Ramos. Casemiro wanted a penalty Ramos’ yellow card might when he felt Pedro Alcala’s hand Girona saw them come have been red, the defender per- on his shoulder and moments from a goal down to haps only spared by two white later Ramos was sent off, draw- win at the Bernabeu shirts behind him. Stuani made ing a second yellow card catch- no mistake with the penalty. ing Alcala in the face with an Real were left Girona almost scored again, attempted volley. • Portu’s shot rattling the outside Even Courtois was allowed nine points adrift of the post, and then they did. up for a late corner and he got of league leaders Casemiro missed a tackle in mid- his head on it too but the ball Barcelona as their field and Lozano’s shot was par- flashed wide. The surprised ap- seven-game unbeaten ried to Portu. Marcelo dangled a plause quickly turned to groans leg but failed to stop the header at full-time. run came to an end FA Cup AFP | Madrid Bristol City 0 - 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers eal Madrid threw away their lead and perhaps Girona’s Uruguayan forward Cristhian Stuani (2ndL) scores a penalty English Championship Rtheir hopes of catching Blackburn Rovers 0 - 1 Middlesbrough Barcelona as Girona came from continued a period of uncer- November pushes them four Madrid barely broke sweat behind to pull off a shock 2-1 tainty for the Catalans, while points clear of the bottom three. in the first half, in control but victory at the Santiago Bernabeu Madrid arrived here on the back Solari will also take some playing within themselves as Italian yesterday. of seven wins and a draw at the of the blame after he fielded a long spells of possession were SPAL 1 - 4 Fiorentina Girona had not won in 13 Camp Nou. rotated line-up following the only occasionally turned into a Empoli 3 - 0 Sassuolo matches and looked on course Barca still have to go to the Champions League win over clear-cut chance. for a seventh straight defeat Bernabeu later this month but Ajax in midweek. The best move was marked Genoa 2 - 1 Lazio when Casemiro headed a dom- that Clasico will be a lot less by two scoops, the first by Toni Udinese 1 - 0 Chievo inant Madrid ahead in the first nervy now. Their cushion has Kroos, who lifted the ball over half. been extended to nine points Pere Pons and squared for Lu- German Bundesliga But complacency set in, and over Real, with Atletico jumping cas Vazquez, who repeated the Girona took full advantage as back above them into second, th trick, dinking it between two Eintracht Frankfurt 1 - 1 Borussia Monchengladbach Cristhian Stuani scored a pen- seven points off the top. 25 defenders, only for his finish to alty and Portu nodded in at the “It’s a shame,” Real coach red card was earned be saved by Bono. Spanish back post, leaving the European Santiago Solari said. “We drop by Sergio Ramos as he It was no surprise in the 25th champions scrapping even for a points and our rivals won. It is a received a second yellow minute when Casemiro nodded Real Madrid 1 - 2 Girona point before Sergio Ramos was pity because we were on a great card in stoppage time and in Kroos’ cross after Bono elect- Valencia CF 0 - 0 Espanyol sent off in the 90th minute. run.” Is the league over? “Not at was sent off ed to punch rather than catch They failed even to muster all,” he said. the initial ball in. French Ligue 1 that, with defeat here a major The frustration for Solari will act of self-harm for what was be that his team had this game Gareth Bale and Vinicius Jun- Comfortable to complacent Bordeaux 2 - 1 Toulouse beginning to look like a serious in the palm of their hands, in ior both started on the bench, Eusebio brought on both Aleix Caen 0 - 0 Strasbourg resurgence in La Liga’s title race. control against a Girona side while Luka Modric was sus - Garcia and Anthony Lozano at Lille 0 - 0 Montpellier Barcelona had beaten Real that celebrated at the end as if pended. Marcelo came in at left half-time, and the impact was Valladolid by a single goal on they had secured survival. back and was again unconvinc- almost instant, as Garcia blazed Reims 1 - 0 Rennes *Scores as of closing Saturday but their stodgy display Their first league victory since ing for Girona’s second. over a rebound after Lozano’s

VAR helps Fiorentina beat SPAL amid controversy Cavaleiro sees Wolves into FA Cup quarters

AFP | London Cavaleiro was one of three changes made by Wolves man- van Cavaleiro’s goal was ager Nuno Espirito Santo to the Ienough to give Wolverhamp- side tha drew 1-1 with Newcas- Of course the goal was ton Wanderers a 1-0 win away tle, along with goalkeeper John important and I’m very to Bristol City yesterday that Ruddy and Romain Saiss. happy to score but the saw the club Nuno’s decision-making was most important thing end their 16-year wait for an ap- rewarded at both ends of the is the team move on to pearance in the quarter-finals pitch, with Cavaleiro scoring of the FA Cup. after he was played in by the the next round Second-tier Bristol City had influential Matt Doherty, who IVAN CAVALEIRO their chances but midfielder hit the post three minutes later. Cavaleiro’s 28th-minute fin- Meanwhile 32-year-old keep- ish at Ashton Gate ended their er Ruddy tipped Bailey Wright’s number Frank Fielding after 15-match undefeated run and shot over the bar after 69 min- the City goalkeeper came up for nine-match winning streak. utes and then denied Marlon a corner in stoppage time. Victory kept alive Wolves’ bid Pack from the ensuing corner. Wolves now join top-flight ri- to win the FA Cup for the fifth Ruddy made an even better vals Manchester City, Brighton time, with the Midlands club save to repel a close-range flick and Watford in the last eight, last having lifted the knockout from Matt Taylor and even had with Cup-holders Chelsea play- trophy back in 1960. to save a shot from opposite ing Manchester United shortly Mattia Valoti of SPAL scores his team’s second goal which was disallowed by the referee before Monday’s draw in a re- peat of last season’s final. AFP | Milan But the referee immediately Simeone adding a third min- “Of course the goal was im- ordered a video review which utes later, and Brazilian Ger- portant and I’m very happy to iorentina were saved by confirmed Felipe had fouled son a fourth two minutes from score but the most important FVAR yesterday amid chaotic Federico Chiesa in the build-up time. thing is the team move on to scenes after the referee disal- to the goal which he disallowed SPAL had taken the lead the next round,” Cavaleiro told lowed SPAL a goal and instead and instead awarded Fiorentina through Andrea Petagna after BT Sport. awarded a penalty which the a penalty. 36 minutes before Edimilson “It was a tough game, very Tuscans converted before win- Jordan Veretout stepped up Fernandes grabbed the equal- hard game, they have great ning 4-1. and converted from the spot iser just before the break. players, very good players and Mattia Valoti’s deflected with the decision proving to Fiorentina move up to eighth it was a great win for us.” strike after 75 minutes had be a killer blow for SPAL who -- seven points off the Champi- Nuno added: “(I’m) very been greeted with delight by instead of being 2-1 up were ons League places -- after their happy for the boys. It’s a tough the home crowd as it had given 2-1 down. eighth win this season. team. It’s hard to defend when relegation-threatened SPAL a The hosts scrambled to get SPAL sit three points above they put so many people in the 2-1 advantage after 75 minutes back into the game but con - the relegation zone after their box and you just hope for the in Ferrara. ceded a goal with Giovanni 12th defeat. Matt Doherty of Wolverhampton Wanderers evades Jay Dasilva of Bristol City best sometimes.”