Real Madrid ease strain on Zidane with late winner at Leganes

Marco Asensio scored in the 89th minute as Real Madrid completed a 1-0 win over Leganes at Estadio Municipal de Butarque in the first leg of their Copa del Rey quarter-final.

Zinedine Zidane’s European champions have fallen a remarkable 19 points behind runaway leaders Barcelona in La Liga and are currently fourth in the standings, trailing secondplaced Atletico Madrid by 10 points and third-placed Valencia by eight.

The Copa del Rey represents a real chance of silverware to salvage from their season, but this late win will at least boost morale before the return leg at the Bernabeu on January 24.

Spain police arrest man accused of stabbing Atletico fan

Spanish police have arrested a man suspected of stabbing an Atletico Madrid fan before a Copa del Rey match.

Authorities said the 40-yearold suspect was taken into custody early Thursday and will be charged with attempted murder.

He is accused of stabbing a 22year-old man three times in a fight near the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium before Atletico’s 2-1 loss to Sevilla in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals on Wednesday.

The suspect’s name was not released, but police said he is linked to an ultra group and had been arrested before.

Spanish media said he was among those investigated for the death of a Real Sociedad fan in Madrid in 1998.

The injured man was taken to a hospital in serious but stable condition and underwent surgery overnight. His condition on Thursday was not immediately available. Police said the confrontation among Atletico fans took place in front of a bar usually attended by ultra groups.

Authorities said the case remains under investigation but they don’t believe Sevilla fans were involved in the fighting.

SPAIN

Copa del Rey

Yesterday Leganes-Real Madrid . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0-1