Real Madrid welcomed Levante to Valdebebas for their La Liga clash on Saturday with no margin for error, but err they did.
The visitors secured a sensational 2-1 victory that will have been celebrated by the red half of Madrid, one would imagine, although probably not by the ever-focused Diego Simeone.
“It was a difficult defeat, especially because of what happened in the 9th minute,” David Bettoni, standing in for Zinedine Zidane, who tested positive for Covid-19, said post-game as per Marca.
2 – @LevanteUDen captain José Luis Morales 🇪🇸 is one of the two players to have scored in different @LaLigaEN games against Real Madrid since the start of 2020, after Joselu Mato 🇪🇸 for Alavés. Major. pic.twitter.com/xwogl9xaW6
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) January 30, 2021
“We got ahead, but Levante drawing level knocked our morale. Then we started the second half well, but the second goal hurt us. It’s a painful defeat, but I saw a team with attitude and good character with the spirit to keep fighting until the end.”
It was then put to Bettoni whether Madrid’s title race was over, with Los Blancos now seven points behind league leaders Atletico Madrid, who have two games in hand.
“The Madridistas continue to believe in the team,” he replied. “In the second half, ten against eleven, we pressed high and we’ll continue like that. I know that the people who love Real Madrid think the same.”
Madrid didn’t start well. Eder Militao, starting at centre-back ahead of the injured Sergio Ramos, saw a straight red after just nine minutes to leave the field with his team reduced to ten men.
Marco Asensio scored four minutes later to put Madrid ahead only for Jose Luis Morales to get Levante back on level terms in the 32nd minute with a stunning half-volley indicative of his quality.
Levante almost took the lead just after the hour mark, when Vinicius Junior gave away a penalty kick. Thibaut Courtois was on hand to save Madrid’s skin, however, saving from Roger Marti.
Roger got another the bite of the apple in the 78th minute, however, and this time he didn’t disappoint. A short corner culminated in a flick-up and volley to put Levante ahead going into the final ten minutes.
