A substituted Cristiano Ronaldo cut a disconsolate figure as Real Madrid conceded a late equaliser to draw 2-2 at Las Palmas on Saturday.
Ronaldo was replaced moments after helping Madrid go 2-1 in front when Karim Benzema slotted home the rebound after the Portuguese’s initial effort was saved.
However, he watched on as Sergio Araujo took advantage of some soft Madrid defending to level as the European champions dropped points for the second time in four days.
Stung by a poor first-half performance in a 1-1 draw with Villarreal in midweek that snapped a 16-game La Liga winning streak, Madrid pressed high from the off and had 17 shots in a wide open first 45 minutes.
Las Palmas ‘keeper Javi Varas repelled Alvaro Morata’s powerful header before Ronaldo fluffed his lines when presented with a glorious chance from Morata’s cut-back.
Eventually Real made the breakthrough just after the half-hour mark when Varas made another fine save from Nacho’s low effort, but Marco Asensio followed up to head into an empty net.
The lead lasted just five minutes, though, as Raphael Varane’s poor defensive header fell at the feet of Tana, who slotted past the helpless Kiko Casilla.
More Varas heroics denied Gareth Bale either side of half-time as the Welshman saw two fierce drives beaten to safety.
Varas also saved from Ronaldo midway through the second half, but substitute Benzema was on hand to turn home the loose ball.
Ronaldo was then replaced by Lucas Vazquez, but didn’t acknowledge coach Zinedine Zidane as he sulked off the field.
And the three-time World Player of the Year’s mood worsened when Araujo slotted home the equaliser five minutes from time.
Elsewhere, Joshua Kimmich’s late winner preserved Bayern Munich’s 100 percent Bundesliga record in Saturday’s 1-0 win at Hamburg, but the leaders saw Mats Hummels limp off with a knee injury.
With Bayern facing Atletico Madrid away in the Champions League on Wednesday, Germany international Kimmich converted a superb Franck Ribery cross in the 88th minute.
“We had three or four clear chances in the second-half and we struggled before the break before sorting things out,” admitted Kimmich, who has scored four goals already in Bayern’s midfield.
Kimmich’s goal leaves Carlo Ancelotti’s Munich as the only team in Germany’s top flight with five league wins from five. They also have eight wins from eight matches in all competitions.