Levante 2-2 Real Madrid LaLiga: match report, goals, action
Goals from Ramos and Isco to put Real Madrid 1-0 and 2-1 up were not enough to kill off a spirited Levante side as los Blanco drop more points in LaLiga.
Levante 2-2 Real Madrid: match report
Real Madrid were pegged back in either half as Levante take two points off their Saturday night guests in games at home and away in the league this season and for the first time in their history.
Zinedine Zidane made a statement in his winter recruitment policy. He was sticking with what he had and it was up to them to get them out of the hole they had dug themselves in LaLiga.
With shovel in hand, they dug a little deeper on Saturday night when they were twice pegged back from winning positions as the game's final goal saw debutant Giampaolo Pazzini slotting under Keylor Navas as the Levante bench emptied to congratulate their new recruit.
The returning Sergio Ramos headed home to give the visitors the lead after 11 minutes and Real Madrid continued to pressure their opponents without ever truly troubling them. It wasn't until half-time was in sight when Levante started to grow and Real Madrid started to wilt. That culminated with a Emmanuel Boateng goal on 42 minutes with Zidane's side well and truly stunned.
All the hard work they had done to squeeze the fight out of Levante undone and they'd have to start all over again in the second half.
They did just that and it took its toll. Modric was driving forward at every chance and Isco made a difference too. He scored on 81 minutes as Real Madrid wiped their hands of a tricky opponent. Or so it seemed.
Levante grew again with the finish line in sight and had opportunited. Most watching had it down as a good fight but a failed one. That was until Giampaolo broke free goalside of Dani Carvajal and slotted underneath Keylor Navas as Ramos and co. looked on in disgust.
Real Madrid are now 18 points behind Barcelona as their season comes down to two games against one opponent in the Champions League.
Levante vs Real Madrid live stream online: as it happened
Levante vs Real Madrid live stream online: preview
Real Madrid face their second last test in LaLiga before they face PSG in the Champions League with a visit to the Ciutat de València stadium on Saturday night to face Levante with kick-off at 20:45 CEST.
The football gods are smiling on Real Madrid just on time too with the return of Isco and Sergio Ramos with los Blancos coming off two impressive victories against Depor and Valencia last weekend. The bbC are back too having started alongisde each other for the first time since last season in the win over Valencia.
Levante started the season well but have found themselves embroiled in a relegation battle and are without a win since November 19th. They have accumulated their fair share of draws this season too with one notable deadlock coming at the Santiago Bernabeu earlier in the season.
They have signed Giampaolo Pazzini, who is in their squad for Real Madrid's visit, and made some deals in the winter transfer window with an eye on beating the drop but their first game since it closed comes against a difficult opponent. Real Madrid didn't strengthen in the winter window as Zidane showed his faith in his side as the time comes for them to repay him with performances to match.
