Real Madrid faced Levante in their second match of the season and found there a squad that is everything other than easy to play against. Carlo Ancelotti could not count on Luka Modric after the Croatian sustained a small injury in training this week. With Odegaard officially off to Arsenal, Kroos with a long-term injury and Dani Ceballos still recovering from his ankle issue, Carlo did not had many midfield options to choose from. Both managers set to employ a 4-3-3 formation. Roger, De Frutos and Morales had to lead the Levante line while Ancelotti engaged Bale, Benzema and Hazard to get among the goals for Madrid.
And so, Real Madrid played out a draw with Levante at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia in that rip-roaring contest. Carlo Ancelotti’s charges bossed proceedings in the first half, but the whole complexion of the game changed after the break as the encounter ultimately ended honours even, despite Madrid hitting the front very early on. With barely five minutes on the clock, David Alaba picked the ball up on the left side of midfield and threaded a pass over the top to Karim Benzema, who drove into the box and instead of pulling the trigger, picked out the better-placed Gareth Bale, who produced a first-time finish to break the deadlock and open his account for the season.
Fede Valverde was heavily involved in the game’s next moves of note. He firstly led a counter-attack, before unleashing an effort from the edge of the box which flew wide of the target. The Uruguayan was once again in the thick of the action when his cross picked out Bale, whose shot failed to trouble the hosts’ goalkeeper. Ancelotti’s men were now dominating and had the hosts firmly pinned back inside their own box. With half an hour played, Alaba tried his luck from range and Madrid went on to enjoy a further three chances before the interval. Bale very nearly doubled Madrid’s advantage from a direct free-kick, before Isco came close with a chipped effort from the edge of the area, whilst Benzema met a left-wing cross but contrived to send his header wide of the mark.
Levante welcomed the referee’s half-time whistle, but came out a different team after the restart as Roger drew the hosts level almost immediately. The equaliser spurred on the home side, who were enjoying their best spell of the game and after Eden Hazard had gone close on 52’, Campaña made it 2-1 five minutes later. Real Madrid had started the second half not with the right diligence and attitude and that would turn their match in a dangerous and troublesome adventure. Ancelotti reacted by sending on Marco Asensio, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr. and Dani Carvajal and the Italian coach soon got the response he was looking for as Madrid pinned Levante back. The visitors then equalised with a fine goal on the counter-attack. Carvajal fought to win the ball back in defence and found Casemiro who sent Vini Jr. through on goal with a long pass, the Brazilian took the ball into the area and slotted it in with his left foot past the keeper (73’).
Then, the match got more open with more spaces for the players to make attacking runs. But Madrid’s joy was short-lived as Levante went up the other end and made it 3-2 through Rober Pier from a free-kick where the white-shirted defenders were somewhat inattentive and a bit later through Cantero who almost scored a fourth after passing the keeper but his effort came back off the post of an empty goal. But Madrid never give in and got their reward on 85’, when Vini Jr. clawed the visitors back into the game. The Brazilian burst into the box and sublimely stabbed the ball over and round the keeper to curl his effort in off the far post. The Whites smelt victory and things became harder for the hosts when Aitor was sent off for handling the ball outside his area to deny the approaching Vini Jr. Vezo had to deputise in goal, as Asensio and Luka Jović went close, but there was no time left for Madrid to claim the winning goal.
It is clear that in this match the performance of the defensive line was the main problem and besides the work that they need to do to optimize their physical and tactical level they also need to focus more and enter the field with the idea that every opponent can be dangerous and there is no room to lower the rhythm. Nacho and Militao were clearly not on their best day and Lucas Vasquez made a really poor performance with lots of mistakes. Meanwhile Valverde did not keep his starting energy for more than 50 minutes and Hazard on the other side had a match where he failed to leave any marks. There were also many positive notes including Benzema, Alaba, Bale and Casemiro who played a very good match and then it was Vinicius who took the fate of the match in his hands scoring two times and becoming the main force of the Madrid’s reaction, a reaction that should never miss in a great team, a reaction that does not let the team fall down in difficult days like this.
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