Real Madrid And Levante Locked In Tense La Liga Battle

The Santiago Bernabéu was alive with anticipation on Saturday morning as Real Madrid hosted Levante for Matchday 20 of the 2025-26 La Liga campaign. While the fixture might have looked like a straightforward home win on paper, the reality on the ground was anything but routine for Los Blancos, with the club navigating stormy waters following a turbulent week and a new manager at the helm.

Real Madrid entered the clash under mounting pressure. The Spanish giants were still licking their wounds after a humbling 3-2 defeat to Albacete in the Copa del Rey—an upset that sent shockwaves across Spanish football and marked a nightmare start for freshly appointed head coach Álvaro Arbeloa. Having replaced Xabi Alonso just days earlier, Arbeloa’s introduction to the Bernabéu dugout had been far from smooth. The mood among the Madrid faithful was tense, with expectations sky-high for a swift return to winning ways, especially with the club sitting four points adrift of league leaders Barcelona.

Levante, meanwhile, arrived in Madrid desperate for points. Stuck in 19th place with just 15 points from 19 matches, the Valencian side is locked in a fierce relegation battle. But under new boss Luis Castro, there’s been a spark of hope—Levante came into the match unbeaten in their last three outings, a run that’s helped steady nerves in the Granotas’ camp and given them a fighting chance of survival. Still, the odds were heavily stacked against them, with Real Madrid boasting a dominant historical record in this fixture, having won the vast majority of their 37 all-time meetings.

Kickoff was set for 8:00 AM ET (2:00 PM local time), and fans around the globe tuned in via ESPN+, ESPN Select, DAZN La Liga, and a host of international broadcasters. The buzz was palpable as the starting lineups were announced: for Real Madrid, Courtois returned between the sticks, with a back four of Valverde, Asencio, Huijsen, and Carreras. The midfield trio featured Tchouaméni, Camavinga, and Bellingham, while the attacking line was spearheaded by the returning Kylian Mbappé, flanked by Gonzalo García and Vinícius Júnior. Levante lined up with Ryan in goal, Toljan, Dela, Matturro, and Manu Sánchez across the back, Vencedor and Pablo Martínez anchoring midfield, and a forward line featuring Kareem Tunde, Carlos Álvarez, Losada, and Etta Eyong.

The opening 45 minutes were a tense, tactical affair. Real Madrid, eager to reassert their dominance, controlled much of the possession and pressed high, but Levante’s compact defending and quick transitions kept the hosts honest. The first half ended goalless, but it wasn’t for lack of action. Both sides traded blows in midfield, with fouls and free kicks punctuating the rhythm. Manu Sánchez and Federico Valverde were involved in a series of physical duels, while Iván Romero, Levante’s lively forward, drew multiple fouls in dangerous areas, earning his team several free-kicks on the edge of the Madrid box.

Chances, though, were at a premium. Real Madrid’s best opportunity came when Gonzalo García rose highest to meet a Valverde cross, only to see his header brilliantly saved by Mathew Ryan in the Levante goal. Mbappé, back in the starting XI after being rested in the midweek cup defeat, looked sharp but saw his long-range effort drift just wide. On the other end, Pablo Martínez was a constant threat for Levante, firing a series of shots from distance, though none found the target. The visitors’ Kareem Tunde also tested his luck, but his shot sailed high and wide after a swift counter.

The match’s intensity was reflected in the referee’s notebook. Three yellow cards were handed out in the first half alone—Gonzalo García and Aurélien Tchouaméni for Madrid, and Unai Vencedor for Levante. There were also injury stoppages, with both Iván Romero and Federico Valverde needing treatment but able to continue. “It’s a physical battle out there,” observed a commentator on ESPN+, capturing the gritty undercurrent of a fixture that meant so much to both sides for very different reasons.

Despite their league struggles, Levante showed resilience. Their defensive organization under Luis Castro was evident, with Matturro and Manu Sánchez making timely interventions to blunt Madrid’s attacks. “We know what’s at stake, and we have to fight for every point,” Castro had said in the lead-up to the match, and his team’s effort on the pitch reflected that mentality.

Real Madrid, for their part, looked to their stars to break the deadlock. Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham were central to most of Madrid’s creative play, with Bellingham drawing fouls and orchestrating attacks from midfield. The Englishman’s influence has grown steadily this season, and his partnership with Camavinga and Tchouaméni in the center of the park gave Madrid a solid platform, even as they struggled to find the finishing touch in front of goal.

Levante’s attacking forays were less frequent but not without danger. Iván Romero, often isolated up front, managed to win crucial set pieces, and Pablo Martínez’s willingness to shoot from range kept Courtois alert. The visitors’ best spell came midway through the half, when a flurry of corners and blocked shots forced Madrid to defend in numbers, but ultimately the breakthrough eluded them.

As the teams headed into the halftime break locked at 0-0, the tension in the Bernabéu was palpable. For Real Madrid, the challenge was clear: turn possession into goals and avoid a third consecutive setback in front of their demanding supporters. For Levante, the mission was to keep frustrating their illustrious hosts and perhaps snatch a vital point or more in their fight for survival.

With the second half still to come and everything to play for, fans across the globe remained glued to their screens. Could Arbeloa’s Madrid find the spark to reignite their season, or would Levante’s spirited resistance yield the upset of the weekend? One thing was certain: this La Liga clash was far from decided, and the drama was only just beginning to unfold in the Spanish capital.