After a nervy opening period at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid found their rhythm after the break to secure a 2-0 LaLiga victory over Levante in the early kickoff, sealing a third straight win and restoring some calm around the club, Softfootball reports.
The evening carried extra weight, marking Álvaro Arbeloa’s first league match in charge following Xabi Alonso’s departure earlier last week. That tension was evident from the outset, with whistles greeting Los Blancos after their midweek Copa del Rey humiliation against Albacete. Levante nearly capitalised on the unsettled mood inside the opening minute, but Karl Etta Eyong dragged his effort wide when well placed.
The strange atmosphere in the stands translated onto the pitch, as Madrid struggled for fluency. Kylian Mbappé saw an early attempt deflected behind, while Eduardo Camavinga failed to trouble Mathew Ryan with a speculative strike. Levante posed occasional threats from set-pieces, with Pablo Martínez’s free-kick blocked by Federico Valverde before his follow-up drifted harmlessly wide. Adrián de la Fuente and Martínez both went close again before the interval, as Courtois remained largely untested but alert.
Madrid’s best moment of the first half arrived just after the half-hour mark when Raúl Asencio slipped Mbappé in behind, only for the Frenchman to guide his effort wide. Gonzalo García finally forced the first save of the match with a routine header shortly before the break, but questions continued to be asked of the hosts as the half ended goalless.
Arbeloa responded decisively at the interval, introducing fresh legs, and the impact was immediate. Arda Güler injected urgency into Madrid’s play, combining neatly with Mbappé before forcing Ryan into a sharp save. Moments later, the Turkish midfielder played a precise pass into Mbappé, who drew a clumsy challenge from De la Fuente and confidently converted the resulting penalty.
Madrid doubled their advantage soon after, with Güler once again at the heart of the move. His corner delivery was met powerfully by Asencio, who headed into the top corner to put daylight between the sides. From that point on, Levante found it increasingly difficult to cope with Madrid’s tempo and movement.
During the game, La Liga via its official X handle, shared the pitch side view of kylian Mbappe celebrating with his teammates after putting Real Madrid ahead in the game. They posted:
Güler continued to threaten with a long-range effort saved by Ryan, while Levante’s Iván Romero blazed over in a rare opening. At the other end, Franco Mastantuono struck the crossbar with an audacious attempt and Jude Bellingham was denied by the goalkeeper, but the hosts never looked like surrendering their lead.
The victory represents Real Madrid’s first win in three competitive matches and offers a timely boost at the start of Arbeloa’s league tenure. They now sit just one point behind Barcelona, pending the league leaders’ Sunday night clash with Real Sociedad. Levante, meanwhile, suffer their first defeat in four matches and remain rooted in 19th place.
