Real Madrid denied again by Levante’s late equaliser
By Najam Arfeen
Disappointment continues to shroud Real Madrid’s season…
Every time Real Madrid seem to have rediscovered their mojo, they fumble. An away encounter against a relegation-threatened Levante would’ve been a stroll under normal circumstances – but it turned out to be another blip on their road to recovery. To make matters worse, Zidane’s men threw away control after taking the lead twice during the course of the game.
After a long wait, Los Blancos finally had the luxury of calling upon their favoured line-up. Sergio Ramos was given the green light to make his return after missing out on last week’s victory over Valencia through injury. It didn’t take long for the Spanish captain to leave his mark on the game either – with an 11th minute header giving his side the lead.
However, things soon turned sour for Ramos as poor positioning allowed Levante a clear opportunity to score. The initial attempt was saved by Keylor Navas, but Emmanuel Boateng made no mistake on the rebound. Right before the half-time whistle, the score-line had been levelled – and Real Madrid began treading an all-too-familiar path.
The second-half started much like the first, with the away side completely dominating possession. Levante seemed content to play on the counter and had it not been for a couple of excellent saves from Navas, they may have taken all the points. A sporadic onslaught yielded a couple of decent chances for Real Madrid as well, but they were unable to add to their tally.
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Isco’s introduction in the final third of the game gave his team an extra dimension, and it was unsurprising when the midfielder popped up with a goal in the 81st minute. It was expected to be the match-winning strike, but Levante had other ideas. Madrid’s defence looked noticeably unsettled by their opposition in the closing stages as they struggled to get the ball out of their own half.
Another mix-up at the back for Madrid led to a turnover, and Pazzini was waiting for a pass in acres of space. The Italian journeyman duly obliged when he received the ball, edging a finish just past Navas to score an 89th minute equaliser. It was deja-vu for Los Blancos, who have been exposed countless times in recent months due to their defensive frailties.
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The gap at the top of the table makes La Liga dead rubber for Zidane and his men, but reckless mistakes will cost them dearly in the Champions League. PSG will not be as forgiving in front of goal and preparations must be made to avoid a similar collapse. In any case, Madrid need to salvage their season – and a surge in confidence is needed to accomplish such a mammoth task.