Real Madrid scored two late goals but were still on the end of a 3-2 loss against Sevilla and the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Wednesday night.
Wissam Ben Yedder and Miguel Layun put the home side two goals in front before half time against a Madrid side showing seven changes from their last outing.
Los Blancos fell further behind to a Sergio Ramos own goal, but the centre-back converted from the penalty spot - having missed from 12 yards at the start of the second half - after Borja Mayoral had found the net to set up a tense finale.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the La Liga meeting between Sevilla and Real Madrid at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. The hosts ended a nine-match winless run last time out and are still in contention for a Europa League spot, which they can land by finishing in seventh place - one spot higher than their current standing.
Madrid have a bigger game on the horizon to prepare for, of course, with the Champions League final now a little over two weeks away, but victory today will lift them into second place in the league standings. The target for Zinedine Zidane across the remaining fortnight of the La Liga campaign is to usurp Atletico Madrid and finish in second place behind runaway champions Barcelona.
REAL MADRID TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: Casilla; Nacho, Ramos, Vallejo, Theo; Kovacic, Ceballos, Casemiro; Vazquez, Benzema, Asensio
SUBS: Luca, Llorente, Achraf, Mayoral, Tejero, Quezada, Oscar
Starting with a look at the visitors, Zidane has named a starting lineup containing numerous fringe players. The Frenchman's hand has been forced a little, as Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco and Dani Carvajal are also nursing injuries - the loss of Ronaldo in particular is a major concern so close to the Champions League final - while Gareth Bale misses out through suspension.
If Zidane's priorities for the next two-and-a-half weeks were not clear enough from a glance at the starting XI, then just take a look at the bench, which contains youngsters Alvaro Tejero, Luismi Quezada and Oscar Rodriguez - will we see any of those tonight, or are they simply there to make up the numbers? There is still plenty of experienced heads in the squad, though, including both Sergio Ramos and Karim Benzema.
Ramos has scored six goals against former club Sevilla - more than he has managed against any other side. The Spain international retains his place in the heart of defence, with Jesus Vallejo brought in to partner him in the absence of the rested Raphael Varane. Zidane could have brought in Achraf Hakimi at right-back and shoved Nacho into the middle, but he has instead opted to play the latter down the flank.
The other of those experienced players, Benzema, has scored just five La Liga goals all campaign - his worst return since joining Madrid nearly a decade ago. No real surprise to see Marco Asensio brought in alongside him, with the Spanish attacking midfielder playing a direct part in 11 league goals this term, while Lucas Vazquez will operate down the left. Makeshift, it could be argued, but talented nonetheless.
SEVILLA TEAM NEWS!
STARTING XI: David Soria; Layun, Pareja, Lenglet, Mercado, Escudero; Vazquez, Pizarro, N'Zonzi; Muriel, Ben Yedder
SUBS: Banega, Carrico, Correa, Nolito, Mesa, Ramirez, Rico
Switching attention to the home side, stand-in boss Joaquin Caparros has made five changes from the much-needed win over Real Sociedad last weekend. Pablo Sarabia misses out on selection due to suspension, while Wissam Ben Yedder, Guido Pizarro, Luis Muriel, Nicolas Pareja and Franco Vazquez are all brought back into the starting lineup. Jesus Navas is another of those to miss out because of injury.
Ben Yedder is tasked with scoring goals for Sevilla tonight, but unfortunately for him he has failed to net since his brace against Manchester United on March 13. Seventeen for the season is not bad going, and he will be hoping to find a way through against this makeshift Madrid side tonight. Joaquin Correa, who has failed to make much of an impact since the 2-2 draw against Barcelona in March, is only among the subs.
Zinedine Zidane has made seven changes on the back of the 2-2 draw with Barcelona at the weekend, with the likes of Marcelo, Keylor Navas, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Raphael Varane being given the night off. Cristiano Ronaldo, Isco and Dani Carvajal are all injured, meanwhile, and Gareth Bale is suspended after picking up another yellow card last time out.
Sevilla head into this match sitting eighth in the La Liga standings following a pretty disastrous run of form. Things do appear to look a little brighter all of a sudden, however, thanks to their 1-0 win over Sociedad last time out - Ever Banega, a substitute tonight, netting from the penalty spot early in the second half. That came on the back of a nine-match winless streak in all competitions.
Los Rojiblancos' stunning win over Manchester United in the Champions League seems like an awfully long time ago now, as they have since exited the competition at the hands of Bayern Munich and slipped down to eighth in the La Liga standings. Sevilla started the campaign brilliantly, too, by winning five of their first seven and managing to remain in a positive enough position come the start of December.
Since then, though, they have lost 10 and drawn five of their last 21, and they are now in a real battle to even qualify for the Europa League - a competition that they always tend to do well in, but at the expense of a Champions League spot. The good news for Los Rojiblancos is that seventh place, one point out of reach, will be enough for them to contest European football next term.
Sevilla still have arch-rivals Real Betis and Alaves to play before the end of the season, and it may well prove that six points from those final two fixtures will be enough. That Betis match in a few days time really is massive, as not only bragging rights are at stake - a European spot could also be up for grabs. A point from this match would not, therefore, be disastrous for Caparros and his charges.
The terrible run of form would cost Vincenzo Montella his job at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, exactly four months after being appointed. Defeat to lowly Levante brought an end to his tenure at the end of April, leaving him with 11 wins from 28 matches in charge of the Spanish club - one of those being the famous 2-1 triumph at Old Trafford that will forever be remembered.
On current form, there is more chance of Sevilla being caught by Eibar in ninth than overhauling one of the teams directly above them. The Andalusian outfit can move Getafe tonight with victory, and that is a battle that is expected to go right down to the wire. While Sevilla take on Real Betis and Alaves in their remaining two fixtures after this one, Getafe face Atletico Madrid and Malaga.
Thirteen points from the last 15 on offer for the Madrid-based club certainly suggests that seventh place is theirs to keep, and Sevilla can have no complaints if they do finish in a lowly eighth. Interestingly, former player Caparros has rejected a pay packet to see out the season at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, so if he can pick up another couple of wins from the remaining three games his status will only increase.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Sevilla have won four of their last 16 league meetings with Real Madrid, losing the other 12 during that run, but all four of their victories have come here. Those four away losses for Los Blancos mean that they have suffered more at the hands of tonight's opponents than any other side since the start of 2012-13.
Real sit third in the table as we head into the final throes of the campaign, three points adrift of rivals Atletico Madrid with this game in hand to play. The Champions League understandably takes priority for Zidane who, rather incredibly, may be relying on success in this month's final against Liverpool to save his job. Finishing second in La Liga would be a welcome bonus.
Los Blancos' domestic campaign has been over since January, with a 3-0 loss to Barcelona ending their title hopes a month before being dumped out of the Copa del Rey to a lower-league side. Zidane's men have been treading water for the past few months, then, using the European stage to keep them motivated, yet with three games of their season left to play they could still finish a respectable second.
There is nothing respectable about the ease with which Barcelona won the league title, however, and Zidane knows that far better is required next time around - if he is still in charge, that is. In fairness to European experts Madrid, their run to the final has been pretty extraordinary, having been placed in the toughest of the groups and then being dealt the toughest of routes through.
They have defeated the champions of France, Italy and Germany to reach the Kiev final and now face one of the continent's most attack-minded sides in Liverpool. Preparations for that match in 17 days' time are in full swing, but for now Zidane needs to keep his players focused on these remaining three league matches, starting with a tough trip to a ground they tend to struggle at.
Real's record in La Liga is pretty terrible over the past decade, lifting the trophy just twice, yet that is balanced out by their success on the continent. Following one of the most successful seasons in their history last time out, when lifting a European Cup and league double for the first time since 1958, Zidane surely has some credit in the bank and will survive even if his side finish third.
Last weekend's 2-2 draw with Barcelona was a good point on the face of it, but Zidane was surely disappointed not to have claimed all three points due to the man advantage for more than 45 minutes. In the end it took a fine Gareth Bale strike to salvage something, and a late penalty should have been awarded as following a tussle between Marcelo and Jordi Alba inside the box in a game packed with incident.
Madrid have drawn three of their last five matches - the 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao a particularly disappointing result - but overall it is just one defeat in 17 since mid-January. Eight victories from nine between February 10 and March 31 propelled Los Blancos back into contention for a runners-up spot, but they have hardly been able to find any momentum since then.
Los Blancos have not won back-to-back matches in the league since seeing off Girona and Las Palmas in late March, in fact, and they only a couple more chances to rectify that in these closing stages of the campaign. Up next for Real after this trip to Andalusia is a meeting with Celta Vigo, before taking on Villarreal on the final day. Atletico, meanwhile, face Getafe and Eibar in their next two.
DID YOU KNOW? Two of Real Madrid's final three matches come away from home, and they boast a pretty decent record on their travels, collecting more points per game than they have managed at the Bernabeu. Los Blancos have only lost away at Espanyol and Girona this season, earning a total of 35 points - only Barcelona can better that tally.
With kickoff at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan now less than five minutes away, let us check out some pre-match comments from both camps.
Joaquin Caparros: "I would like [Madrid's] C or D team to come. They have a starting XI made up of world-class players, the best. The rest of their players are internationals. It's going to be a very difficult game. Some of them who usually play will play, for sure."
Zinedine Zidane: "I am not thinking about injuries or what can happen to the players before the Champions league final. Sometimes they need a rest but I'm not worried about injuries. Playing whilst thinking about the injuries you can get is no good. You have to be positive."
Caparros has got his wish as this is very much a second-string Madrid side, minus a number of star names. Los Blancos could do with finishing second but that is second in their list of priorities to winning the Champions League, while Sevilla need victory to climb above Getafe into that third and final Europa League spot.
KICKOFF! We are up and running in Seville in this second La Liga game of the day. Barcelona are already three quarter of the way through their meeting with Villarreal, leading 3-1 in that one to move a step closer to having the tag of invincibles.
Sevilla have to get in their opponents' faces - they have a great chance to inflict a rare away league defeat on last season's champions. It is the visitors who are seeing more of the ball in the early throes of the contest.
The hosts now starting to control the game a little more, albeit without getting the ball forward into advanced positions. Sevilla play each of their remaining matches in this city, as their next match is away to neighbours Real Betis.
Very little incident in the opening seven minutes of the match. Some good pressing from Madrid almost led to a chance presenting itself, but Vazquez could not quite get the ball under control around 40 yards from goal.
SHOT! A sloppy pass brings an end to Sevilla's latest attack. A few gaps opening up for the hosts over the past few minutes, with Franco Vazquez sending the game's first effort flying high over the crossbar from a little over 25 yards out.
This match has not truly got going yet. Madrid have seen plenty of the ball without creating anything, while the only effort at either end came via that pretty poor Franco Vazquez shot a couple of minutes ago.
BLOCK! Best moment of the match so far as Sergio Escudero gets forward down the left and picks out Franco Vazquez in the middle. Vazquez got a shot away which was on target this time, but Sergio Ramos did well to block the ball behind for a corner.
SAVE! Madrid win themselves a free kick in a good shooting position. No Cristiano Ronaldo or Gareth Bale tonight, so Marco Asensio was favourite to take this one on. Casemiro instead took on set-piece duties, though, lifting the ball over the wall for David Soria to collect.
That was a routine save for Soria to make, but a save nonetheless. Sevilla have just about edged things in the opening 17 minutes of the game, having created a chance and a half-chance for Franco Vazquez, neither of which were on target.
Benzema, with just those five league goals to his name this season, attempted to round the goalkeeper but the offside flag was already up. Madrid have seen 68% of the ball in the opening quarter of the match, without doing too much with it.
SHOT! The most audacious off attempts from Marco Asensio, who charged towards the front post to meet the cross and flicked it wide of goal. It would have been a great goal to add to his collection, though in the end it was not even close.
Joaquin Caparros was unhappy with a decision that went against his side and clearly said something he should not have, as he has seemingly just been sent to the stands. The match just threatening to boil over a little at the minute.
Sevilla the side currently in control of the ball, patiently looking to find a way through. Still just the one shot on target so far, with Casemiro lifting a free kick over the wall and into the hands of the waiting David Soria.
GOAL! SEVILLA 1-0 REAL MADRID (WISSAM BEN YEDDER)
Great link-up play between Luis Muriel and Wissam Ben Yedder for the game's first goal. The latter was played through on goal by his teammate's smart pass and simply tucked the ball through the legs of Kiko Casilla - as simple as you like!
I thought Joaquin Caparros had been sent to the stands but he is still down in his technical area so clearly not. His side have a lead to hold on to, but there is still two thirds of the match still left to play in Andalusia.
RESULT! The full-time whistle has gone in that early kickoff between Barcelona and Villarreal. Ousmane Dembele netted twice late on to add some further gloss to the scoreline, with the Spanish champions running out 5-1 winners at Camp Nou.
Zidane does not exactly have a whole lot of options to turn to should the scoreline remain like this for the next hour or so. A big test of character for Los Blancos now, as they have not really got going yet this evening.
Vazquez, Asensio and Benzema not offered a great deal in the opening 35 minutes of the match. Sevilla have been unable to build on their opening goal, but they are not exactly under too much pressure at the other end of the field.
Half time is now eight minutes away and Real have plenty of work to do here. Sevilla score the all important first goal through Wissam Ben Yedder and are now looking to protect that lead, which they have so far managed to do with ease.
Escudero has just taken a blow to the face, leading to a short stoppage in play. Real with three shots in the opening 39 minutes of the match, just one of which - from a Casemiro free kick - asked any questions of Sevilla's under-worked keeper.
OFF THE LINE! A strange one this as the ball appeared to ricochet off Nacho and was then rolling towards the goal, only for the defender to get back and clear it before it could trickle over the line. From the next move, the ball appeared to strike Casemiro's hand in the box.
GOAL! SEVILLA 2-0 REAL MADRID (MIGUEL LAYUN)
A mixture of good fortunate and poor defending from Madrid leads to a second Sevilla goal. Steven N'Zonzi picked up a loose ball inside the area after it ricocheted into his path, before laying it off for Miguel Layun to smash past Kiko Casilla.
HALF TIME: SEVILLA 2-0 REAL MADRID
The half time whistle sounds at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, where Sevilla hold a 2-0 lead over Real Madrid. Wissam Ben Yedder opened the scoring for the home side 26 minutes in and Miguel Layun added to it late in the first half.
Madrid made seven changes to their starting lineup on the back of the 2-2 draw with Barcelona last weekend - a result that moved them to within three points of second-placed Atletico Madrid. Hopes of clawing back the deficit on their city rivals took a dent 26 minutes in, however, as a punt forward skimmed the head of Luis Muriel and was converted through the legs of Kiko Casilla by Wissam Ben Yedder.
Sevilla had been the better side in the opening quarter of the match, with Franco Vazquez sending a shot over the bar from the edge of the box and seeing another blocked by Sergio Ramos. Real, whose only on-target attempt in the first half came from a Casemiro free kick up and over the wall, were struggling to really get going without a number of their star names in the squad.
Los Rojiblancos were closing in on a second before the interval and, two minutes after Nacho got back to clear a ricocheted block off the line, Miguel Layun popped up with a rare goal. A mixture of good fortune and poor defending allowed Steven N'Zonzi to square the ball to an unmarked Layun, who blasted it past a helpless Casilla.
BENCH WATCH!
SEVILLA SUBS: Banega, Carrico, Correa, Nolito, Mesa, Ramirez, Rico
REAL MADRID SUBS: Luca, Llorente, Achraf, Mayoral, Tejero, Quezada, Oscar
RESTART! Real Madrid, who have lost on four of their last five visits here, get us back under way at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. A big 45 minutes ahead for the visitors, who show no changes from the first half.
Lucas Vazquez gets away a shot early in the second half, which was always rising over Soria's crossbar. Madrid definitely looking the livelier of the two teams since the restart, knowing that they need to find two goals from somewhere.
This is not a happy hunting ground for Madrid, and their task was always going to be all the more difficult today with so many of their star men missing out. Two goals behind, it is difficult to see them getting anything out of this game.
Seven minutes into the second half and, while Lucas Vazquez did get that early shot away, it is still a below-par showing from Los Blancos. Karim Benzema remains on the field but he has just five goals to his name all season in La Liga.
ATTEMPT! This would be a huge result for Sevilla heading into their derby clash with Real Betis next weekend, as they look to nail down a Europa League spot and salvage their season. Real win a free kick, which Sergio Ramos curls wide of the target.
PENALTY TO REAL MADRID! A huge moment in this match as, a minute after blocking a shot off the line, Madrid get forward and win a penalty after Franco Vazquez tackled Lucas Vazquez inside the area.
PENALTY MISSED! There goes Madrid's route back into this match. Sergio Ramos steps up to take the penalty kick and thumps it against the crossbar! That would have been a huge psychological blow for the home side.
SAVE! Another simple ball over the top is latched on to by Luis Muriel, whose shot was kept out by Kiko Casilla down low. It is all happening now in Seville - two big chances go begging for the hosts either side of the missed pen.
SEVILLA SUB! Sandro Ramirez is on with a little under half an hour to play, taking over from Luis Muriel who has been pretty lively. Sevilla could easily be three goals up, although Madrid did miss that earlier penalty.
The match again threatens to boil over as Dani Ceballos is penalised for going for the ball when it was out of his reach. Madrid are starting to get frustrated now and they do not really have many players on the bench capable of turning the game.
Nearly three quarters of this match now played and it is Sevilla who remain in control. A cross from the left is met by the head of Sevilla's Vazquez, who could not divert it on Casilla's goal. The third goal does look to be arriving.
YELLOW CARD! Home fans want a penalty after Casilla went to ground to get the ball, but he did exactly that - won the ball. Guido Pizarro is cautioned for his challenge, leaving two Sevilla players on a yellow card with 22 minutes to go.
REAL MADRID SUB! This seemed like the obvious sub for Zidane to bring on, with Borja Mayoral replacing Dani Ceballos as Madrid change shape and go all out for a route back into the match. A third away defeat looks certain at the moment.
A third Sevilla goal will unlikely be required at this rate as Madrid just cannot find a way through. Since that missed Ramos penalty they have been unable to really create anything, and they are now fast running out of time to do so.
Madrid dominating the ball now but Sevilla, two goals to the good, are standing firm. Benzema has been hugely disappointing this evening - others have offered less but he is the star attacking name in the side and has done next to nothing.
CHANCE! A ball from the right falls into the path of Karim Benzema, who makes horrible contact with the ball and it ends over the crossbar. A shot that sums up the French striker's night and indeed his entire season.
CLOSE! Certain sections of the ground no doubt thought this was in. Casemiro with a belter of a strike from 22 yards, which ended in the side-netting of the Sevilla goal. Roque Mesa comes on in place of Franco Vazquez.
Just 10 more minutes for Los Rojiblancos to see through, claiming what would be a huge win for them - nine without victory prior to Caparros's arrival, remember. Madrid have looked better in the second half but have nothing to show for it.
SEVILLA SUB! Daniel Carrico is on for Wissam Ben Yedder, who got a telling off from the referee before making his way off the field. The departing attacker went to the ground injured, just inches from the sideline.
YELLOW CARD! Madrid have had the better of this second half and are seeing a lot of the ball, but there are plenty of gaps for Sevilla to exploit. Los Blancos skipper Sergio Ramos is cautioned for what the referee perceived to be a handball.
GOAL! SEVILLA 3-0 REAL MADRID (SERGIO RAMOS, OWN GOAL)
This will likely go down as a Sergio Ramos own goal, compounding what has been a bad night for the centre-back. Gabriel Mercado blasted the ball across goal from a tight angle, seeing it take a touch off Ramos on its way past Kiko Casilla.
GOAL! SEVILLA 3-1 REAL MADRID (BORJA MAYORAL)
Mayoral would have been a better option than Benzema through the middle tonight. The young striker has come off the bench and sent a lovely little header flying into the back of the net, giving his side a glimmer of hope late on here.
Real are plugging away without looking too threatening. A second goal would make things a little more interesting, as there are still four minutes of added time to be played at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. Sevilla will move into seventh as things stand.
PENALTY TO REAL MADRID! Still time for a late twist here because the referee has pointed to the spot following Gabriel Mercado's push on Theo Hernandez. A clear penalty and a chance for Madrid to pull back a second.
GOAL! SEVILLA 3-2 REAL MADRID (SERGIO RAMOS, PEN)
A much better penalty from Sergio Ramos, who this time sends the goalkeeper the wrong way. All five minutes of added time have already been played so time is surely now up for Madrid, who are heading for a third away loss of the La Liga campaign.
FULL TIME: SEVILLA 3-2 REAL MADRID
The referee brings an action-packed contest to a close, with Sevilla holding on to win 3-2. Borja Mayoral gave Real Madrid some hope late on before Sergio Ramos added a second, having missed his first attempt from the penalty spot earlier in the second half, but in the end it was too little, too late.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events from the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while a look back at Barcelona's 5-1 win over Villarreal from earlier in the day can be viewed here. Thanks for joining!
