Real are crushed at home by Mallorca

REAL MADRID’S preparations for their midweek Champions League semi-final clash against Juventus, as well as their assault on a 29th Spanish league crown, suffered an embarrassing setback on Saturday when they crashed to a 5-1 home defeat to Mallorca.

It was the European champions' first defeat at their Santiago Bernebau stadium since November 2000 and, to add insult to injury, it was Mallorca who inflicted that loss 49 matches ago. Later, Real Sociedad cut Madrid's lead at the top to just one point when midfielder Xabi Alonso scored in the 31st minute in their 1-0 win over Sevilla. "It is really sad to have lost like this," said Real Madrid's Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos who scored an own-goal in the game at the Bernebau.

"But now it's important that we don't let this affect us for Tuesday's match against Juventus because it is the Champions League and we must give it everything we have."