Real Madrid beat Levante 2–0 at the Santiago Bernabéu, picked up three points again after turbulent days, and remain alive in the La Liga title race, but the win wasn’t enough to hide the heavy atmosphere that took over the stadium. The team responded on the field after the Supercopa runner-up finish and the early exit from the Copa del Rey, yet the message from the stands was unmistakable. Fans hadn’t forgotten the recent embarrassment and chose to demand answers, loudly and without restraint, even against a relegation-threatened opponent.
Even before kickoff, the mood suggested this would be a different kind of game. When the lineup was shown on the big screen, boos rang out, aimed mainly at Vinicius Jr., Bellingham, and Valverde. Throughout the first half, every touch from Vinicius and Bellingham was met with impatience, a constant noise that felt more like pressure than support.
A second half that changed the script, but not the mood
On the field, the first half was tight. Real Madrid had possession and tried to control the match, but ran into a well-organized Levante defense that closed spaces and offered few openings. The best chance came in the 33rd minute, when Asensio picked out Mbappé with a precise long ball, and the Frenchman hit it first time, missing the post by inches. Beyond that, not much happened. Courtois was almost a spectator, while Real looked like a team carrying the weight of obligation on its shoulders.
Things changed after the break. Arbeloa brought on Mastantuono and Arda Güler, and the team came out more aggressive, pushing Levante deeper. The pressure increased, shots began to flow, and the goal felt inevitable. In the 58th minute, Mbappé was clearly fouled in the box and calmly converted the penalty, marking his third straight league game with a goal and reinforcing his status as the league’s top scorer, now with 19. Seven minutes later, Arda Güler delivered a perfect corner, and Asensio rose with authority to head home the second.
A necessary win, but the demands remain
From that point on, Real Madrid turned into a whirlwind. Mastantuono smashed a powerful shot off the crossbar from outside the box, Valverde set Bellingham up in prime position only for Ryan to make a point-blank save, and Vinicius Jr. produced several sharp individual plays, again denied by the Levante goalkeeper. Late on, Ryan made more key stops on efforts from Bellingham and Mbappé, keeping the scoreline from growing to better reflect the second-half dominance.
The result keeps Real Madrid in second place with 48 points, just one behind Barcelona, and secures the team’s 15th league win. Still, the feeling lingers that the three points don’t heal the wounds opened in recent days. The Bernabéu made it clear that patience is running thin and that this team will be watched, play by play.