Real Madrid goalless draw at Gijon, Sevilla frustrated by Espanyol

Real Madrid goalless draw at Gijon, Sevilla frustrated by Espanyol

Real Madrid, hamstrung by the absence of four key forwards, drew their first blank of the season on Saturday night as they were held to a goalless draw by Sporting Gijon at El Molinon.

Already without Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy because of injury, Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini also had to do without Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain for the trip to Gijon due to niggles, and without that forward power the big-spending capital club could not find the breakthrough.

In the first half Kaka brought a good save out of home custodian Juan Pablo Colinas from the edge of the box, and the visitors went close again on the half-hour mark when Raul stabbed the ball wide on the turn following a goalmouth scramble in the Sporting area.

Iker Casillas had to be alert to deny Miguel De las Cuevas before the break, although the best chance of the match arrived in the 52nd minute, when a Kaka cut-back found Esteban Granero, whose first-time shot was brilliantly blocked by Colinas.

Colinas, who also saved from Kaka and Pepe in the second half, did pick the ball out of the net in the 77th minute but was relieved to see Raul's effort ruled out for either offside or for handball against Kaka - neither of which looked obvious from television replays.

The draw means Madrid move level on points with Barcelona at the top of the table, but the Catalans have a game in hand against Real Zaragoza on Sunday.

Atletico Madrid suffered another embarrassing setback after conceding an injury-time equaliser to nine-man Real Mallorca as the Rojiblancos drew 1-1 in their first game following the departure of coach Abel Resino.

Atletico, despite being far from impressive, had still looked to be heading for a much-needed victory thanks to Diego Forlan's 52nd-minute penalty.

However, Mallorca heaped more misery on their hosts by drawing level in the 91st minute when home goalkeeper David De Gea deflected Borja Valero's low cross into his own net.

To make matters even more humiliating for Atletico, Mallorca had been playing with only 10 men since the 27th minute following Josemi's sending off, and with just nine since Ivan Ramis was red carded six minutes after the break.

Both of those dismissals were for second yellow cards handed out for handballs that resulted in penalties for Atletico, and although Forlan missed the first one, the Uruguayan made no mistake with the second to put the hosts ahead.

In the evening's late kick-off Sevilla and Espanyol fought out a goalless draw. Sevilla are third, three points off top spot.