Real Madrid 2-0 Levante: Alvaro Arbeloa’s side bounce back from disastrous midweek defeat
Real Madrid got their first win under Alvaro Arbeloa after beating Levante 2-0 at the Bernabeu.
Kylian Mbappe scored a penalty to give the home side the lead and Raul Asencio doubled it with a fine header with 65 minutes played, but the atmosphere was darkened by protests from Madrid fans, who waved white handkerchiefs and whistled at the players after a deflating past few weeks for the club.
Xabi Alonso was sacked following a 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, before Madrid fell to an embarrassing defeat to Albacete, a team battling relegation in the second division, in the Copa del Rey earlier this week.
But Madrid were enervated on the pitch against Levante after Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, both of whom missed the trip to Albacete, returned to the side.
It was a difficult first half for Arbeloa’s side, mustering only one shot on target and subjected to boos at half time. In the second half, Mbappe was brought down in the box and converted from the spot just before the hour to bring lift off. Asencio’s header from Arda Guler’s corner kick provided the buffer and Madrid could have made it three when Franco Mastantuono struck the post late on.
