On Saturday, January 17, 2026, Real Madrid delivered an important 2–0 home victory over Levante in LaLiga at the Santiago Bernabéu, a result that brought both much-needed points and a temporary sense of calm to a club under pressure.
It had been a turbulent week for Los Blancos. A dramatic 3–2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final and a shocking Copa del Rey exit had frayed nerves among supporters and increased scrutiny on the squad and coaching staff. The atmosphere inside the Bernabéu was tense from kick-off, with sections of the crowd openly showing their frustration.
Real Madrid’s opening goal came in the 58th minute when Kylian Mbappé was fouled in the box and subsequently converted a penalty with calm precision. Mbappé, who had earlier drawn the foul after driving into the Levante area, sent the keeper the wrong way and gave Madrid the breakthrough they had been pushing for in an otherwise scrappy first half.
Seven minutes later, the home side doubled their lead. Raúl Asencio, rising highest from a well-delivered corner by substitute Arda Güler, powered a header into the net to make it 2–0. This goal effectively put the game beyond Levante’s reach and sparked a louder reaction from the Bernabéu crowd.
Despite the two-goal cushion, the match was far from serene for the hosts. Levante defended doggedly throughout and limited Madrid’s clear chances for long spells, forcing Real to work hard for every breakthrough. The first half in particular saw Madrid struggle for rhythm, with sloppy passing and disjointed movement drawing boos from supporters.
The second half, however, saw an improved performance from Madrid, especially after tactical tweaks by coach Álvaro Arbeloa. The team looked sharper in attack, while maintaining defensive discipline. Arbeloa, in his first LaLiga home game in charge, received applause when substituting in fresh legs to keep Madrid’s tempo high.
Fan unrest remained a notable subplot to the victory. Even with two goals and the eventual clean sheet, sections of the Santiago Bernabéu expressed dissatisfaction not only with the performance but also with off-field issues at the club. Chants and banners targeted boardroom decisions and called for better consistency from players.
From a tactical standpoint, Real Madrid began with a 4-3-3 formation, aiming to control possession and exploit the flanks. Levante, rooted in a more compact defensive setup, absorbed pressure well in the first half and looked dangerous on the counter. But once Madrid scored, the winners controlled the game’s tempo and limited Levante’s opportunities.
This result boosts Madrid’s LaLiga standing, keeping them firmly in the title race, while Levante remain in the relegation zone with a difficult campaign ahead. The clean sheet and the three points provide a foundation for Madrid to build on, particularly with tough fixtures looming in both domestic and European competitions.
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