Dani Carvajal’s 78th-minute header rescued a point for LaLiga leaders Real Madrid during a frustrating 1-1 draw at Sevilla.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men had two early goals disallowed before David Alaba put through his own net to raise the possibility of a second defeat of the season.
Sevilla were denied a first victory under the tenure of Diego Alonso though when Carvajal headed home Toni Kroos’ late free-kick to ensure Madrid will go into next weekend’s ‘El Clasico’ at rivals Barcelona as divisional leaders.
Ancelotti rotated his options for the trip to Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, with Alaba, Kroos and Rodrygo recalled to the starting line-up after the 4-0 victory over Osasuna a fortnight ago.
Sevilla had changed management during the international break and new head coach Alonso almost watched his team go behind after only four minutes.
Federico Valverde was first to a loose ball outside the area and then latched on to Jude Bellingham’s lay off before his cross-shot deflected into the net via ex-team-mate Sergio Ramos.
It was subsequently ruled out though after Bellingham had been in an offside position when he collected Valverde’s header.
The LaLiga leaders were celebrating again in the eighth minute but referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea had controversially already blown his whistle to stop play by the time Bellingham rolled into the empty net.
Madrid broke at lightning pace after Antonio Rudiger nipped in to beat Lucas Ocampos, who went down after being caught in the back, and Rodrygo raced through on goal, rounded Sevilla goalkeeper Orjan Nyland and flicked into the path of Bellingham, who slotted into the corner.
Referee de Burgos Bengoetxea had already signalled a halt to proceedings to seemingly check on Ocampos before play resumed with a drop ball for Madrid, despite the visitors expressing their bemusement at the early stoppage of play.
Sevilla settled after a difficult start and should have broken the deadlock in the 23rd minute.
Ocampos embarked on a fine run and played into Ivan Rakitic, who showed great composure to cut inside Kroos, but his left-footed effort was cleared off the line by Madrid captain Carvajal.
The danger was not over there, with the ball being cleared to Ocampos but his 25-yard curler was pushed away by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
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Alonso’s men were buoyed by that opportunity and created another opening minutes later when Ocampos flicked into the path of Djibril Sow, who curled wide from a promising position.
Madrid remained a constant threat and their old captain Ramos denied Alaba in the 34th-minute with a wonderful block following Kroos’ wicked set-piece delivery.
A breathless half ended goalless but the visitors were unhappy as they walked off at the break after Vinicius Jr had gone down under contact from Navas minutes before the first 45 were up.
The same duo were involved in a flashpoint at the beginning of the second period when Navas flicked the ball through Vinicius Jr’s legs and Ferland Mendy reacted by barging into the Sevilla captain, but referee de Burgos Bengoetxea kept his cards in his pocket.
Nyland had to be alert soon after to deny Rodrygo’s low effort before Ramos impressively blocked a volley by Kroos.
The influence of ex-Madrid captain Ramos continued to grow and he played his part in Sevilla making the breakthrough with 16 minutes left.
Ramos passed out wide to Navas, who whipped in a wicked delivery from the left that team-mate Youssef En-Nesyri missed, but Alaba could only deflect the ball beyond his own goalkeeper Kepa.
Sevilla’s celebrations were cut short four minutes later when Madrid captain Carvajal headed home at the near-post after he beat En-Nesyri in the air to a Kroos free-kick.
It set up a grandstand finish in Andalusia and Ramos was at the centre of the action with Kepa saving his header before Ocampos drilled wide following an excellent run by Navas.
Ocampos and Ramos were involved as tempers started to rise late on when Vinicius Jr and Nyland clashed over the hosts’ attempts to time waste.
There was still time for stoppage-time drama with Ramos heading over from two yards from Suso’s cross before a last-gasp Kroos free-kick was hit straight down the throat of Nyland, which ensured it finished 1-1 in Seville.
Dewsbury-Hall: Maresca will surprise people at Chelsea
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca will "surprise a lot of people" when they watch the Blues this season.
The Italian led Leicester City straight back to the Premier League as Championship winners in his only season in charge and succeeds Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge.
The Foxes topped the second division table with 98 points, with Dewsbury-Hall a key figure in his squad as he netted 12 goals and provided 14 assists last season – his best tally in a single campaign.
Dewsbury-Hall was also named Leicester's Player and Players' Player of the Year.
The midfielder made the switch to West London earlier this month for £30million and is confident that Maresca will have Chelsea challenging for trophies in no time.
"The manager was a big catalyst in wanting me to come," Dewsbury-Hall told BBC Sport.
"I knew from Leicester, a club that went down and had a lot of problems, how he managed to galvanise that if everyone manages to buy into the system.
"I genuinely think in a short space of time we can be pushing for minimum top four - but more than that.
"He may be unknown for a lot of people, but he is top, top level. He will surprise a lot of people."
Chelsea's pre-season got off to a frustrating start as they were held to a 2-2 draw by League One side Wrexham in Maresca's first game in charge on Wednesday.
Dewsbury-Hall did not play in that match but is training with the squad in the United States and could feature in their next outing against Celtic on Saturday.
The 25-year-old is confident the manager's tactics will come across soon, with the players buying into his style.
"We've only been doing it for two or three weeks, but the combination plays are really quick and tidy," he added.
"That's after two weeks. I remember he said to us at Leicester after six months or a year, there might be teething problems at the start, but it will improve.
"Within the first week at Leicester, I was convinced this was top, top level. I felt a bit stupid; I thought I knew a lot about football, but he was teaching me things on a daily basis that I didn't really know before. He has an aura, he can be strict, or gentle and soft - he has both sides.
"I am getting the same feedback here with the lads. They've bought into it here from minute one which is exciting. With a system and philosophy, you need everyone to buy in because, if they do, you can really achieve something."
Ederson slams reports of rift with Man City backup Ortega
Ederson has hit out at reports of a rift between himself and fellow Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.
The Brazilian was substituted after suffering a fractured eye socket in City's penultimate game of the Premier League season, a vital 1-0 win over Tottenham.
Ortega replaced him and made a brilliant save to deny Son Heung-min as City maintained their slender lead over Arsenal at the top of the table, sealing an unprecedented fourth straight title by beating West Ham five days later.
Ortega was widely lauded for his role in that triumph, and an article published by The Athletic this week suggested Ederson took issue with that praise.
However, the goalkeeper – who missed the Copa America as a result of his injury – has now moved to shut down those suggestions with a post to his Instagram story.
"I would like to clarify that the note published by The Athletic yesterday, referring to my alleged dissatisfaction with a co-worker, is completely false," he wrote.
"The alleged day reported was, without a doubt, one of the most difficult days of my career, when I suffered a fracture that prevented me from playing in the final stretch of the season and, consequently, from representing my country in the Copa America.
"At the time of the injury, my only thought was to continue in the match, defending City in the fight for the title.
"But the emotion of the match would be greater than the reality and, inevitably, I would not be able to continue as I would have liked due to the damage it caused, completely blocking my field of vision. I remain focused on preparing for the season."
Ederson has been linked with a transfer in recent days, reportedly attracting interest from Saudi Pro League clubs.
Slot's Liverpool success will be measured by trophies, says McAllister
Gary McAllister says Arne Slot must be prepared to aim high by targeting trophies if he is to be successful with Liverpool.
The Dutchman is set to begin his first season in charge of the Reds after being appointed as Jurgen Klopp's successor in May.
Liverpool enjoyed a trophy-laden spell under the German, winning their first-ever Premier League title, as well as a Champions League, a Club World Cup, a Super Cup, an FA Cup and two EFL Cups.
However, Slot was no stranger to success while at Feyenoord, leading the team to the Eredivisie title in 2022-23 before lifting the KNVB Cup in April during his final season with the club.
McAllister, who won five trophies in the two years he spent at Liverpool, says Slot's success will be determined by the silverware he collects.
"Liverpool is a club that's synonymous with winning, and when you don't win you fail," McAllister told Stats Perform.
"When there's a new management team, you're given a little bit more time, but the facts are Liverpool's target, I felt, and as a player that played against them for most of his career, the targets that Liverpool set, you go into every tournament looking to win it.
"You try to win every game and that's the expectation of the club and that's what makes it a very special club."
Klopp spent nine years at Liverpool, breaking club records as his team pushed for trophies on a regular basis.
The Reds enjoyed a club-record 68-match unbeaten run at Anfield over nearly four years in the Premier League between April 2017 and January 2021.
Klopp also oversaw three of the four most prolific seasons in Liverpool's history, including the club-record total of 147 goals scored in 2021-22.
Slot has admitted he has "big shoes to fill", but McAllister believes the 45-year-old will be able to live up to the high expectations left behind by Klopp.
"Arne arriving at the club, following Klopp, realising that it's such a difficult job anyway, but to follow somebody who's done particularly well at the club over an eight, nine-year period is going to be tough, and I don't think the new manager is under any illusions," he added.
"What I would say is he's a man that seems to be a very strong character, good personality, and he's just got to come in and be his own man and trust what he does.
"He's done very well in his previous managerial career and coming to Liverpool I feel is a natural progression in the levels of the game that he's worked at.
"So, everybody at the club will be deeply backing him and be right behind him, he'll have amazing support."
Liverpool's first pre-season game under Slot ended in a 1-0 defeat to Preston North End last week before the players flew out to the United States for a three-game tour.
They are also only one of two Premier League clubs yet to conduct any business in the transfer window so far, but McAllister urged fans to be patient with Slot while he gets settled in his new role.
"Whenever there's a change at a club, I think the fans have got to realise that it does take time for a new manager, a new coaching group to come in and get their ideas over to the players," he said.
"There's got to be a modicum of patience, but at Liverpool, expectation levels are very, very high and sometimes, in professional soccer, in elite soccer, patience is something that most managers don't get.
"As much as the fans have got to be aware that everything is new and there are new ideas, Arne and the players will want to get off to a quick start.
"I feel that this pre-season tour is going to help them start the season against Ipswich Town very strongly. I feel the games that they've got here in the US, here in Pittsburgh against Betis, and then we go to play Arsenal and Manchester United, the build-up is pretty good."
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