Real Madrid 3-3 Las Palmas: Real Stage Dramatic Comeback After Gareth Bale Sees Red

Published on: 28 February 2017

Real Madrid slipped to second in the table following a shock 3-3 draw at home toLas Palmas, as Welsh starGareth Bale was controversially sent off on St David's day.

Although they have a game in hand, the result leaves Madrid a point behindtheir old rivals Barcelona,who won earlier in the evening over Sporting Gijon.

It took just 30 seconds forReal to create their first attack of the game. Balereceivedthe ball out left, cut inside, and whipped in a cross for Alvaro Morata. The Spaniard knocked the ball into the back of the net, but was correctly flagged offside.

Yet within a few minutes Real had their first goal of the night. Toni Kroos received the ball in a deep area and, given far too much time on the ball, slipped the pass through for Isco.

The former Malaga man had all the time in the world,and slottedthe ball past Varas' left-hand post. Surprisingly, however,within two minutes the side from the Canary Islands were back on level terms.

Right midfielder Tana received the ball just outside the Real box and turned Sergio Ramos by allowing the ball to run across his body. Tana then drove the ball fiercely past Keylor Navas' near post.

¡GOOOOOOOOOOL de @tanadp_24!
GOOOL, GOOOOL, GOOOL, #RealMadridLasPalmas (1-1) pic.twitter.com/7OngrjUQpl

Real thought they had taken the lead again just a minute later, but Morata was to see the linesman's flag agonizingly raised once again. Despite protests, replays seemed to suggest that the officials had made the correct call.

Unfortunately Las Palmas were forced into a substitution after just 26 minutes due to a head injury sustain by Pedro Bigas. The defender collided with ateammate, when attempting to clear a Real Madrid cross and was replaced by Aythami.

The side in 12th place in La Liga held a high line throughout, and encouraged Real Madrid to attack. Yet Las Palmas were creating their own opportunities, and were often responding by hitting Zidane's side on the counter attack.

On the half hour mark, Jese was to demonstrate a perfect example of this. The former Real man received the ball from deep, and drove at the Madrid defence, which opened up in front of him. Jese picked out Kevin-Prince Boateng who was one-on-one with Navas, yet blazed the ball high over the Real crossbar.

Real were to create the next chance of the game, as a Gareth Bale's cross found Sergio Ramos in the box, but the defender couldn't make contact with the ball.

Thelast significant chance of the first half came shortly after, when aCristiano Ronaldo cross had to be hooked away by Mauricio Lemos just in front of his own goal.

� HT: #RealMadrid 1-1 @UDLP_Oficial (@isco_alarcon 8'; Tana 10').#RMLiga #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/0nMWr9uov8

After the interval, theopening two minutes of the second half saw the game's most controversial and arguably most importantmoment. Bale tripped Jonathan Viera, before the duo exchange fiery words, which saw the Welshman react and push Viera in the chest.

Bale was duly punished witha yellow card for each offence, and was dismissed by referee David Fernandez.

Fernandez had another big decision to make minutes later, as Sergio Ramos appeared to handle the ball inside the penalty area. The former Sevilla man made a superb challenge against Kevin-Prince Boateng, and when the ball fell to David Simon, Ramos jumped to block his shot.

Despite claiming the ball hit him in the face, Fernandezcorrectly awarded the spot kick against Ramos, and Viera dispatched past an outstretchedNavasto give the visitors the unlikeliest of leads.

Even moreincredibly Los Blancos were two goalsdownsoon after.A high looping ball was met byKevin-Prince Boateng, who fended off a challenge from Marcelo and knocked the ball round Navas, with the goal gaping for theGhanaian, whogleefully finished.

Las Palmas took full advantage of having an extra man, andJese, who ran riot all night, forced a smartsave from Navas shortly after the hour mark.

Soon after Morata wasto incredibly, see a third goal flagged offside. Cristiano Ronaldo was deemed to have stepped beyond the last defender before Morata picked the ball up and dispatched it into the bottom corner. Replays suggested the Portuguese international was onside however.

An increasingly frustrated ZinedineZidane had to gamble, and threw on substitutesKarim Benzema and James Rodriguez, after he had initially introduced Lucas Vazquez.

As expectedMadrid were starting toapply frantic pressure, and the visitorswere beginning to crack. The side from theSpanish capital reduced the deficit to just one goal soon after, as Ronaldo dispatched a penalty following a Castellanohandball.

And with only injury time remaining,Real were back on level terms, as the Ballon d'Or holdermanaged to secure hissecond of the game by heading in from Rodriguez' corner.

Neither side seemed content with a point after what came before, and both continued attacking well into added time. However,neither could findthe all important winner, meaning that the points were shared on anight of mixed emotions forLos Blancos.

�✅#RealMadrid 1⃣1⃣  @UDLP_Oficial #RMMovistar #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/AJQbvcIxqm

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