Real Madrid ended a miserable year on a low note when they lost 1-0 at home to high-flying Sevilla in the Spanish Primera Liga on Wednesday.

Brazilian striker Julio Baptista produced a cool finish after 19 minutes, clipping the ball over the head of keeper Iker Casillas to inflict a second home defeat of the season on Real.

It was Sevilla’s first league victory at the Bernabeu in 20 years and had it not been for some superb last-ditch saves from Casillas and some wasteful finishing by Sevilla’s forwards the margin would have been much greater.

Real, who ended last season a disappointing fourth, struggled to create any chances, although Ronaldo, who started the game on the bench, had a goal disallowed after coming on.

The result left Real, who substituted David Beckham at halftime and withdrew his England team mate Michael Owen late on, in fifth place, a distant 13 points behind leaders Barcelona who claimed a late 2-1 win over Levante on Tuesday.