Real golden boy Cannavaro acquires lead feet

Real Madrid's Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro(R) kicks the ball during their Liga football match against Recreativo de Huelva in Madrid. Cannavaro showed that he is far from infallible despite being the 2006 World Player of the Year and was to blame for two of Recreativo Huelva's goals in their shock 3-0 win at Real Madrid.

Fabio Cannavaro showed that he is far from infallible despite being the 2006 World Player of the Year and was to blame for two of Recreativo Huelva's goals in their shock 3-0 win at Real Madrid.

The Italian defender, supposedly the best player on the planet over the last 12 months, was embarrassingly robbed of the ball on the edge of the area by Florent Sinama-Pongolle after 35 minutes.

The former Liverpool player then had no problems slotting the ball past Real's exposed goalkeeper Iker Casillas.

Cannavaro's hero rating slumped further towards zero early in the second half when he was turned inside-out by Ikechuckwu Uche before the Nigerian striker hammered home a right foot shot for Recreativo's second goal.

Emilio Viquiera then rounded off Recreativo's memorable night with their third goal a minute into injury time.

Sevilla's Poulsen(L) clashes with Deportivo la Coruna's Angel Javier Arizmendi(R) during a Spanish league football match at Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Sevilla. Sevilla will end the year as league leaders after they thrashed struggling Deportivo La Coruna 4-0.

Ironically, Cannavaro was only playing for Real on Wednesday, after getting sent off in their 1-0 win at Espanyol on Sunday, because the club made a successful appeal to rescind his second yellow card.

The game went ahead despite Recreativo asking for its postponement after four of the club's supporters were killed when their bus crashed into a stationary lorry on the motorway just after starting its journey to the Spanish capital.

"I don't have any great feelings about this game because although we played well, any happiness is accompanied by the fact that some fans lost their lives on the motorway," said Recreativo coach Marcelino Garcia.

"When it was confirmed that the game was going to be played we came up with an idea that it should be a celebration for them and victory is dedicated to our fans who have sadly died."

Real Madrid's forward Raul(L) clashes with Recreativo de Huelva's defender Mario during their Liga football match in Madrid. Fabio Cannavaro showed that he is far from infallible despite being the 2006 World Player of the Year and was to blame for two of Recreativo Huelva's goals in their shock 3-0 win at Real Madrid.

Another 14 Recreativo supporters remain seriously injured.

Four wreaths were laid on the Santiago Bernabeu pitch before the kick off and there was a minute's silence in memory of the victims, which was also observed at the rest of Wednesday's league games.

The loss keeps Real in third place but the 29-times Spanish champions lose ground on the two teams ahead of them.

Sevilla will end the year as league leaders after they thrashed struggling Deportivo La Coruna 4-0 on Wednesday.

The 2006 UEFA Cup winners now have 37 points from 16 games as well as a 100 per cent home record this season.

Four points in arrears of Sevilla are reigning champions Barcelona, who play host to Atletico Madrid on Thursday and who have two games in hand, while Real Madrid stay one point behind their bitter rivals.

Real Madrid's midfielder Guti(C) is challenged by Recreativo de Huelva's defender Mario (L) during their Liga football match in Madrid. Fabio Cannavaro showed that he is far from infallible despite being the 2006 World Player of the Year and was to blame for two of Recreativo Huelva's goals in their shock 3-0 win at Real Madrid.

Sevilla's Luis Fabiano hit the post midway through the first half but it was not long before the hosts claimed the lead with the first division's leading scorer Frederic Kanoute getting his 13th goal of the season.

Kanoute picked up a Luis Fabiano pass to score from close range.

The Malian striker was five metres further out when he got his second of the night from the penalty spot on 63 minutes, after Deportivo's Joan Capdevilla had brought down Luis Fabiano.

Fabiano got the reward for his efforts when he got a goal to his own name three minutes later, heading home a Daniel Alves free kick.

Alves did further damage with just three minutes more on the clock.

A vicious, curling right foot free kick 20 metres out from the Brazilian right back completely confused the Deportivo defence and their goalkeeper Dudu Aouate was left standing as the ball went into the top left corner of the net.

At the other end of the table, Real Betis notched up their first away victory of the season with a 1-0 win at bottom club Gimnastic Tarragona.

Brazilian striker Assuncao, arguably the man of the match after going close on two other occasions, got the only goal of the game from the penalty spot on 64 minutes after 'Ruz' Ruiz had brought down Betis' Dani Martin.

However, Betis stay in the relegation zone and remain third from bottom.

Real Sociedad are one place below Betis and still in dire relegation trouble but came away from Celta Vigo with a valuable away point after a tepid 0-0 draw.