Unconvincing Real Madrid Face Season-Defining Week

The aim from Levante captain Jose Morales was definitely particular – however Actual Madrid solely had itself in charge.

Morales’s beautiful half-volley was sufficient to provide Levante a shock 1-0 win in opposition to Los Blancos on the Ciutat de Valencia stadium on Saturday evening. It means Madrid missed the possibility to return on high of La Liga and now sits two factors behind arch-rival Barcelona.

This was Madrid’s second league defeat of the season, after shedding to Mallorca in October. It was Levante’s first win of 2020.

Madrid didn’t play particularly poorly on Saturday. Within the first half, particularly, the crew moved the ball rapidly, with Eden Hazard and the recalled Isco typically concerned. It probed and looked for a solution to break down the deep-lying Levante defence.

Luka Modric examined the keeper with a shot from vary, Hazard twisted and turned and Benzema ought to have shot – however elected to attempt to discover Hazard – after an intricate passing transfer. Levante had a number of moments on the counter-attack however it was Madrid that regarded the crew extra prone to rating.

Within the second half, the passing was largely nonetheless crisp, however the penetration was nonetheless missing. Madrid’s huge probability fell to Hazard however, one-on-one with the keeper, he couldn’t end. Because it tried to create extra clear-cut probabilities, Madrid acquired a bit of ragged.

Sergio Ramos regarded uncomfortable at occasions. He performed a number of free passes and at one stage acquired muscled off the ball – one thing that might have been unthinkable when the Madrid captain was in his prime. After Morales’ aim arrived in opposition to the run of play within the 79^th minute, Madrid poured ahead, however by no means actually regarded like getting an equalizer.   

A number of hours earlier than the match at Levante, Barcelona had returned to the highest of La Liga after an impressed efficiency from Lionel Messi. He scored 4 occasions within the 5-0 win in opposition to Eibar. It was that type of particular person brilliance Madrid was crying out for in opposition to Levante.  

Madrid’s defeat is unlikely to be a end result that arms Barca the title. Spanish soccer’s high two have each had issues this season and each groups will certainly drop extra factors because the title race enters its closing months.

However what this defeat does point out is that the Madrid squad wants a refresh in the summertime. Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric have been nice servants to the membership, however each will likely be 34 on the finish of the season. Striker Karim Benzema is 32 and Luka Jovic, the participant signed as a potential predecessor, has struggled thus far. Gareth Bale will virtually definitely go away in the summertime and there’s a risk Isco will be a part of him.

A squad rebuild is an issue that should be solved in the summertime, however a extra urgent one for coach Zinedine Zidane is discovering his greatest 11.

This can be a week that might effectively outline Madrid’s season. On Wednesday it welcomes a fired-up Manchester Metropolis to the Santiago Bernabéu for the primary leg of their last-16 Champions League tie. Then, on Sunday, Madrid hosts Barca in El Clásico.

Lose each of these matches, and there’s a actual hazard this may very well be one other disastrous season. Final season, Madrid completed third in La Liga and crashed out of the Champions League within the final 16 in opposition to Ajax. It misplaced within the Copa del Rey semi-finals and misplaced 5-1 at Barca in La Liga. Profitable the Membership World Championship was scant comfort.

Zinedine Zidane was the membership’s third supervisor of final season. He is aware of – from his time as a participant and first spell as coach – that one other season just like the final one is unacceptable, unthinkable, at Actual Madrid.