Real Madrid's nine-match winning streak at the Bernabeu was brought to an end on Sunday night as they were held 2-2 by Espanyol.
Madrid had won every competitive match in front of their own fans since losing to Valencia in March, but that run came to an end in an encounter where all four goals came in the first half - and from discarded Spain strikers.
Raul Tamudo and Luis Garcia twice put Espanyol ahead only for Raul to level up both times for Madrid, who had also won six successive matches this season prior to this.
A few wayward shots from the hosts summed up a largely uninspiring opening 20 minutes, and the first thing of note that either goalkeeper had to do was for Iker Casillas to pick the ball out of his net after Espanyol had taken a shock lead.
A hopeful long ball forward from the visiting defence was latched onto by the ever-alert Tamudo and, after progressing into the area, he was sent flying by Gabriel Heinze's sliding challenge.
The referee had no doubts about the penalty and Tamudo dusted himself off before sending Casillas the wrong way from the spot - the 30-year-old's first-ever league goal at the Bernabeu.
Espanyol's lead lasted barely two minutes though before Raul, Madrid's long-serving captain, drew the champions level.
Sergio Ramos floated a tempting cross into the Espanyol box and Raul finished it off with a downward header past Carlos Kameni from near the penalty spot.
Raul's strike, his third in the league this season, should have been the signal for in-form Madrid to take control of the game, but they soon found themselves trailing again as Espanyol made it three goals in 10 minutes.
A low cross-shot from Roman Martinez fizzed across the no-man's land between Casillas and his defenders, and Luis Garcia slid in at the far post to net against the club where he started his career.
The slow start to the game was now firmly forgotten, and Espanyol really should have gone 3-1 up in the 40th minute.
Luis Garcia was unlucky to see his clever free-kick hit the near post, and then after picking up the rebound he floated over a cross that the unmarked Moises Hurtado somehow managed to nod wide.
The reaction of the Espanyol players revealed just how good a chance that was, and the visitors were made to pay right on the stroke of half-time as Raul equalised.
The two minutes of injury-time were almost up when a deep free-kick into the Espanyol box was collected by Raul, who showed quick feet to slot a low effort past Kameni, sending Madrid into the changing rooms on level terms.
The second half continued in a similar vein to the first, with Madrid largely dominating territory and possession but with Espanyol looking the more effective going forward.
Madrid started to move up through the gears though, and Kameni was called on to make two superb saves to keep out a deflected effort from team-mate Daniel Jarque and then an instinctive volley from Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Wesley Sneijder had been sent into the action by this stage, making his first appearance since suffering a knee injury during pre-season, but even his return could not inspire Madrid as Espanyol deservedly avoided defeat for the first time in eight league visits here.
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