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.
“Today we cannot speak of a bad game,” Thibaut Courtois said post-game in comments to Movistar+ carried by Diario AS. “We had to fight from minute seven. Levante are a good team that creates problems for every team.”
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
The Madrid goalkeeper was asked how the team were going to respond to the defeat that’s given Atletico Madrid the opportunity to open up a ten point gap tomorrow afternoon.
“You always have to fight,” Courtois said. “[The league runs] until May. It’s true that they continue to win and are up there. We have to win and hope that the others lose.”
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.
