Football news - Real Madrid slump to Levante defeat to pile pressure on Julen Lopetegui
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Updated 20/10/2018 at 13:18 GMT
La Liga, Bernabeu - Real Madrid 1 (Marcelo 72) Levante 2 (Morales 7, Roger 13 pen)
Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric reacts
Image credit: Getty Images
Julen Lopetegui will face further questions over his future following Real Madrid’s disastrous 2-1 home defeat to Levante, extending their winless run to five games.
The result saw Real Madrid break the unwanted record for the longest goalless run in the club’s history, going 481 minutes without finding the net, but it could also cost Lopetegui his job, with speculation already mounting before this game that he could be replaced.
Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema were dropped to the bench, perhaps with next week’s El Clasico in mind, but that decision quickly backfired as Levante took the lead after just seven minutes, making the most of some slack defending from Raphael Varane to score through Jose Luis Morales.
They doubled their advantage soon after, with VAR used to award a penalty kick for a handball by Varane. Roger stepped up to the spot to convert and give the visitors a shock 2-0 lead after just 14 minutes.
Real Madrid thought they’d halved the deficit when Sergio Ramos and Marcos Asensio bundled home between them, but VAR showed that the latter had been offside and the goal was chalked off, much to Lopetegui’s frustration, as he increasingly cut a desperate figure.
Marcelo got one back late in the second half, firing a finish high into the net with his right foot, but that’s where the fightback ended, with Levante holding on for only their second ever win at the Santiago Bernabeu.
TALKING POINT
Was this effectively the end for Julen Lopetegui at Real Madrid? Before this match the debate was over whether Lopetegui could survive as Real Madrid manager. Now, the talk will be over whether it’s best to change manager before or after the Clasico next weekend. Lopetegui looked a desperate man on the touchline for much of this match. He had the air of a manager who has lost control of his team. Speculation concerning his future will continue to mount after this. It seems unlikely that he will survive.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Jose Luis Morales (Levante): Defensive uncertainty was a real feature of this match for Real Madrid and in Morales they faced a player equipped to make the most of this. Time and time again he got on the end of long balls over the top, scoring the opener in this way, getting in between Thibaut Courtois and Varane. Morales’ pace was a thorn in Real Madrid’s side all afternoon. He got the result he deserved.
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Real Madrid's Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (C) reacts after Levante's Spanish midfielder Jose Luis Morales scored
Image credit: Getty Images
PLAYER RATINGS
Real Madrid: Courtois 5, Odriozola 5, Varane 4, Ramos 5, Marcelo 7, Modric 5, Casemiro 5, Isco 5, Vazquez 6, Mariano 6, Asensio 5. Subs - Bale 6, Ceballos 6, Benzema 6.
Levante: Oier 8, Cabaco 6, Postigo 6, Pier 5, Jason 8, Rochina 7, Bardhi 7, Campana 6, Tono 7, Morales 9, Roger 7. Subs - Doukoure 5, Boateng 5, Chema 5.
KEY MOMENTS
7’ GOAL! Real Madrid 0-1 Levante: Can you believe it? Levante have taken an early lead at the Santiago Bernabeu! Morales cuts through the soft centre of the Real Madrid defence, beats Varane to the ball and rounds Courtois, firing into the empty net! Wow, we have a game on our hands now!
12’ Gone to VAR! This could be a penalty to Levante! Varane has been penalised for a handball, but the referee has initially given a freekick. But now we're going to VAR and it could be a pen. Was it inside?
13’ PENALTY KICK TO LEVANTE! The referee has awarded a spot kick after a long VAR review! Wow!
14’ GOAL! Real Madrid 0-2 Levante: Incredible! What is going on at Real Madrid at the moment? Roger steadies himself and finds the corner of Courtois' net, despite the fact that the Belgian goalkeeper went the right way? Levante are two goals to the good!
17’ GOAL! Real Madrid 1-2 Levante: It's not clear who scored it, but Real Madrid are back in the game! Ramos' header smashed off the underside of the bar and may have crossed the line, but Asensio bundled it home from close range just to make sure! It's one of either Ramos or Asensio! Game on.
18’ GOAL HAS BEEN RULED OUT! Oh my goodness! The goal decision went to VAR and for some reason the officials have ruled it out! Was that for a push? Lopetegui is losing it on the touchline.
35’ Off the crossbar! This time it's Mariano who strikes the woodwork! His header comes off the bar and then Casemiro's header is clawed off the line by Oier in the Levante goal!
45’ GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO... NO! Levante think that they have scored a third on the break away, but the referee believes that Tono might have been offside when he played the pass across for the finish to be applied. VAR review is used to rule it out.
71’ GOAL! Real Madrid 1-2 Levante: They have one back! They finally have a route back into this game! The chance looked to have gone, but Benzema did well to keep his composure and find Marcelo, who smashed a right-footed finish high into the roof of the net!
77’ Off the woodwork again! What a strike that was from Benzema! He fired off an effort from 20 yards out, but his strike finds the inside of the post and bounces away from goal!
89’ GOOOOOOOOOO... OFFSIDE! Yet more drama! Mariano bundles home a finish from close range, but the officials have given the offside and the VAR review confirms it. It's still 2-1.
KEY STATS
- Before today, Real Madrid hadn’t conceded two goals in the opening 15 minutes of a match (all competitions) since a game against Valencia in February 2017.
- By going 465 minutes without scoring, Real Madrid broke the record for the longest goalless run in the club’s history (the streak ended at 481 minutes).
- Marcelo has scored three times against Levante in La Liga, more than against any other team.
THE MATCH IN A TWEET
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