Football
ESPN staff 10y

Real Madrid drop another friendly

Real Madrid suffered another defeat in a preseason friendly on Saturday, losing 2-1 to Serie A side Fiorentina in Warsaw, Poland.

Fiorentina overturned an early goal from Cristiano Ronaldo to win on the day that Keylor Navas and Angel Di Maria made their preseason debuts.

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Mario Gomez equalised for Fiorentina midway through the first half before Marcos Alonso scored the winner in the 69th minute.

The European champions have now lost all four of their preseason friendlies -- including three to Italian clubs -- after falling to Inter (on penalties), Roma and Manchester United during their tour of the United States earlier this summer.

Ronaldo combined with Di Maria on an ultra-quick counter attack. Starting well into his own half, Ronaldo delivered a through ball to the Argentine, who sent back a low cross in the box that Ronaldo tapped home.

Alberto Aquilani set up the equaliser in the 27th minute when he crossed to a diving Mario Gomez to head past Navas at close range.

Real made four changes at the half, with Ronaldo, James Rodriguez, Xabi Alonso and Marcelo giving way to Daniel Carvajal, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and Fabio Coentrao, and the reserves could not prevent Fiorentina from taking the lead.

Left-back Alonso drove past two defenders before cutting into the middle and shooting past Navas to give La Viola the lead.

Di Maria had a clear shot to level the score in the 82nd minute, but his chip fell wide of the goal.

The match had an unusual interruption in the 75th minute when a pitch invader dressed in a full Cristiano Ronaldo kit attempted to clear a Fiorentina corner, and eventually walked off with little to no reaction from security.

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