La Liga: Real Madrid ease Bernabeu anger with 2-0 win over Levante

On a day of tension and discontent at the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid returned to winning ways with a controlled La Liga victory over Levante.

Loud boos greeted the players as they walked out, setting the tone for a restless afternoon.

Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and club president Florentino Perez were the main targets, and the hostile atmosphere fed into a subdued first-half display from the hosts.

Real Madrid struggled to break down Levante’s defence, while the visitors looked the more threatening, with Pablo Martinez twice firing narrowly wide.

Second-half changes shift grounds

Head coach Alvaro Arbeloa responded at half-time with tactical adjustments, introducing Arda Guler and Franco Mastantuono to inject urgency and creativity.

The changes paid off just over 10 minutes into the second half when Real Madrid were awarded a penalty after Kylian Mbappe was fouled by Adrian de la Fuente. Mbappe converted confidently from the spot to calm the stadium.

Seven minutes later, the hosts doubled their advantage. Guler delivered a pinpoint corner from the left, and Raul Asencio rose highest to head home, making it goals in successive Bernabeu appearances for the defender.

Control restored, points secured

With a two-goal cushion, Real Madrid managed the game efficiently. They created further chances, with Bellingham denied by a strong save from Mathew Ryan after being played through by Federico Valverde.

The Levante goalkeeper also kept out efforts from Vinicius Junior, who was clearly keen to respond to the crowd’s criticism.

While the overall performance lacked fluency, the result delivered what mattered most. The victory moves Real Madrid to within one point of Barcelona in the title race, with the league leaders set to play on Sunday.