Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale both scored from the penalty spot as Real Madrid recorded a 2-1 win over Levante in Sunday night's hugely entertaining La Liga clash at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia.
Roger Marti had cancelled out Benzema's first-half spot kick to leave the two teams on terms, but Bale netted 12 minutes from time to secure all three points for the European champions.
Madrid remain third in the table, but are now just two points off second-placed Atletico Madrid and nine points behind leaders Barcelona with 13 league games left.
Read how it all unfolded in Sports Mole's minute-by-minute live commentary of the action below.
Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live commentary of the La Liga clash between Levante and Real Madrid from Valencia. Madrid suffered a shock 2-1 home defeat to Girona last weekend, which was a result that severely dented their already-slim hopes of challenging for the title. As it stands, Los Blancos are third in the table, 12 points off the leaders Barcelona with a game in hand. Levante, meanwhile, have had an inconsistent season to date but currently occupy 13th spot. Stay tuned for live updates!
TEAMS!
LEVANTE: Aitor; Rober, Vezo, Cabaco; Luna, Bardhi, Campana, Rochina, Simon; Morales, Marti
REAL MADRID: Courtois; Carvajal, Nacho, Varane, Reguilon; Kroos, Casemiro, Modric; Lucas, Benzema, Vinicius
Levante are without Sergio Postigo due to a calf problem, but Erick Cabaco is available after sitting out the win over Celta Vigo last time out through suspension. Roger Marti and Jose Luis Morales have 17 league goals between them this season and start in the final third of the field.
As for Real Madrid, Marcos Llorente was the only first-team player missing from Friday's training session. Indeed, Isco was able to train with the main group following a back problem, but the Spaniard is not in the squad. There is no Sergio Ramos, meanwhile, with the club captain suspended following his red card in the home defeat to Girona last weekend. As a result, Nacho will come into the back four, while Vinicius Junior and Dani Carvajal both return.
Levante recorded a 2-1 win at the Bernabeu earlier this season, while Real Madrid have won just one of the last four league matches between the two teams. What will occur tonight? Stay tuned!
KICKOFF: Real Madrid kick things off here...
... as mentioned, Levante recorded a 2-1 victory at the Bernabeu earlier this season. The last clash between the two teams in Valencia finished in a 2-2 draw last February. Real Madrid have not beaten Levante in a league match since a 3-1 victory away from home in March 2016, while Levante's last home victory over Los Blancos occurred in September 2011. Game on!
Reguilon has to clear at the far post as Levante threaten with a low cross from the right. It has been a decent start from the Valencia-based outfit, who are a very dangerous team.
Eight wins, six draws and 10 defeats - that is how Levante have performed in the league this season, with a total of 30 points leaving them in 13th position in the division. The Frogs are just four points off the top eight, while they are seven points clear of the relegation zone.
CLOSE! Rochina just misses the Real Madrid post with a strike from outside the box.
Promoted from the Segunda Division as winners in 2017, Levante secured another season of La Liga football by finishing 15th in the top flight last term. The Valencia-based outfit have now been present in eight of the last nine La Liga campaigns, which is an indication of their credentials.
Levante will also enter this match off the back of an impressive 4-1 victory away to Celta Vigo last weekend, but they have lost to Alaves and Sevilla in two of their last four matches, shipping seven goals in the process. Just a few signs of some Real Madrid pressure here.
No team in Spain's top flight has conceded more goals than Levante this season. Indeed, a total of 43 conceded represents the worst record in the division. Luckily they are not shy of a few goals down the other end of the field!
Smart defending from Simon at the far post to flick clear a cross from Carvajal.
Levante are certainly the underdogs , but they beat Barcelona at home in the Copa del Rey last month and have started pretty well here. That said, Real Madrid have the ball at the moment.
CLOSE! Lucas heads a cross from Reguilon wide of the Levante post.
A little wobble from Barcelona, coupled with a strong run of form for Real Madrid, led to suggestions that Santiago Solari's team were back in the title race, which did not seem possible in the latter stages of 2018. However, Los Blancos' challenge might well have ended with their shock 2-1 home defeat to Girona last weekend. Quite how they lost it remains a mystery.
Real Madrid are still chasing trophies, however, and will welcome Barcelona to the Bernabeu on Wednesday for the second leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final, which is locked at 1-1 from the first leg. Will the same XI from tonight start the second leg? Aside from Ramos, probably.
Still goalless with 20 minutes on the clock and Levante will be pretty pleased with how they have performed thus far. Real Madrid have been in control of the possession, though.
This is the first time in 2019 that Madrid have had a whole week to prepare for a game, and the rest has come at the perfect moment for the capital giants, who have won six, drawn two and lost four of their 12 league matches on their travels during the 2018-19 campaign.
Good little spell from Levante. First, the home side have a penalty shout turned down when Morales goes down under a challenge from Carvajal, before Real Madrid have to clear two dangerous crosses into their own box. Some late challenges coming in at the moment!
SHOT! Carvajal blocks a shot from Morales behind for another Levante corner.
OFF THE POST! So close for Levante! Marti meets a flicked header inside the Real Madrid post, but his effort hits the post from close range. Not sure about the defending from the away side.
YELLOW CARD! Marti (Levante) is booked for a poor tackle on Casemiro.
Courtois has to take a few steps back to gather a deep cross from Luna as the pressure from Levante continues. There might be a yellow for Nacho here, meanwhile, for a late tackle...
YELLOW CARD! ... Nacho (Real Madrid) is booked for a poor challenge on Morales.
CHANCE! Massive chance for Levante once again as the ball breaks for Pier inside the Real Madrid box, but he fires over the crossbar from close range. All happening here!
SAVE! Smart save from Aitor to keep out a low strike from Vinicius!
Little over 10 minutes of the first period remaining and it has been so entertaining. Levante really should be ahead and they might be made to regret the missed opportunities.
Marti and Morales are a joy to watch in the final third. It is not too difficult to understand why Levante have scored a lot of goals this season. The pair are causing a whole host of problems.
SAVE! Courtois has to keep out a flicked effort from his own player Varane!
It must be said that the opening 39 minutes of this football match have absolutely flown past. It has been a very watchable contest and Levante deserve an incredible amount of credit.
SAVE! Aitor is down to keep out a low strike from Kroos.
SAVE! Aitor then jumps onto a loose cross from Vinicius!
Morales looks to race clear of Varane, but that is easier said than done and the Real Madrid man manages to make the clearance. Not many would fancy a race with Varane.
VAR are having a look at a possible penalty!
The referee has gone over to have a look at the monitor!
PENALTY! Real Madrid have a penalty! Bardhi handball inside the box!
GOAL! LEVANTE 0-1 REAL MADRID (BENZEMA, PEN)
Benzema beats Aitor from the spot to send Real Madrid into the lead!
OFF THE POST! Oh my word! Levante almost level moments after falling behind, but Marti hits the post with a low strike! Levante just cannot believe that they have not scored in this first period.
HALF TIME: LEVANTE 0-1 REAL MADRID
And breathe! The referee brings the first period to a close with Real Madrid leading Levante 1-0 courtesy of a Benzema penalty. That does not even begin to tell the story, however, with Levante having a whole host of chances to register. The home side have hit the post twice and really should have put their name on the scoresheet before Benzema netted from the spot.
STATISTICS! Real Madrid had 59% of the possession in the first period, managing three attempts on target from seven shots. Levante, meanwhile, had nine attempts and as mentioned, hit the post twice. Two bookings to report, Marti for Levante and Nacho for the visitors.
BENCH WATCH! Real Madrid have a whole host of attacking options on their bench tonight, with Asensio, Bale, Ceballos and Marcelo all capable of making an impact. Levante, meanwhile, have options in the shape of Doukoure, Jason, Chema and Vukcevic.
KICKOFF: Levante resume the action on home soil...
SAVE! ... Courtois has to keep out a low strike from Marti as Levante come close again!
Plenty happening at the start of the second period as Vinicius is just denied inside the Levante box following a corner kick. End-to-end football in the early moments here!
Levante continue to throw four, five players forward with each attack, which is leaving space for Real Madrid on the counter-attack. Surely there are more goals in this match.
Lucas looks to have a problem for Real Madrid after going down under a challenge from Rochina, but he returns to his feet soon after and play can continue in Valencia.
Smart goalkeeping from Courtois to just lift the ball away from Marti, who had been chasing down a back-pass from Varane. Marti and Morales are so, so dangerous for Levante.
Levante really should have scored at least twice thus far and you just wonder whether they are going to concede another during this spell as Real Madrid start to pass and probe again.
CLOSE! Benzema heads a free kick from Kroos just over the crossbar!
YELLOW CARD! Rochina (Levante) is booked for a poor challenge on Carvajal.
CLOSE! Vinicius just curls the ball wide of the Levante post after breaking into a good position. The teenager does need to work on his finishing, but what an incredible talent.
LEVANTE SUB! Doukoure replaces Rochina for the home side.
GOAL! LEVANTE 1-1 REAL MADRID (MARTI)
All square! And it really, really had been coming. Levante level the scores in the 60th minute as Marti pokes a low cross from Morales into the far corner of then net!
What a final 30 minutes or so we have in Valencia! This has been a cracking game.
Bale and Asensio will both be hoping to come off the bench in the final 25 minutes of this match. It would not be a surprise to see the pair come in for Vinicius and Lucas here.
Modric has a shot headed clear by Luna and Levante look to break again. Still at least 25 minutes of football to play here and I would be astounded if this one finished 1-1.
SHOT! Lucas fires harmlessly wide of the Levante post.
YELLOW CARD! Lucas (Real Madrid) is booked for a late tackle on Doukoure.
REAL MADRID SUB! Valverde replaces Kroos for the away side.
SAVE! Wonderful save from Aitor to keep out a low strike from Vinicius, who raced clear before attempting to pick out the bottom corner of the net. Huge moment in this match.
LEVANTE SUB! Raphael replaces Marti for the home side.
REAL MADRID SUB! Bale replaces Benzema for the away side.
PENALTY! Another penalty for Real Madrid!
Casemiro goes down under a challenge from Doukoure and VAR are having a look!
Indeed, it is a spot kick!
PENALTY! LEVANTE 1-2 REAL MADRID (BALE, PEN)
Bale tucks his penalty into the back of the net for 2-1!
It must be said that Bale did not look very happy when he scored. A couple of teammates tried to congratulate him but he was not interested. Not too pleased with life at the moment.
REAL MADRID SUB! Asensio replaces Vinicius for the away side.
YELLOW CARD! Campana (Levante) is booked for a foul on Modric.
RED CARD! Nacho is sent off for Madrid! Second yellow for a foul on Raphael!
Levante deliver a dangerous free kick into the Real Madrid box, but Courtois is fouled in the eyes of the referee. Not long left and the away side still lead 2-1 in Valencia.
RED CARD! Rochina, who is not even on the pitch, now picks up his second yellow and is sent off! Looked to be for something that he said to the referee. Incredible finish to this game.
LEVANTE SUB! Bardhi is replaced by Vukcevic for the home side.
We are into the first of four additional minutes at the end of the second period.
Reguilon clears down the field as Levante deliver into the Real Madrid box once again. Time is running out for Levante and the visitors look to have just about done enough here.
Bale has an attempt blocked behind and time is running out here.
FULL TIME: LEVANTE 1-2 REAL MADRID
So there we have it. The referee brings the second period to a close with Real Madrid running out 2-1 winners over Levante in Valencia. What a game of football to finish the weekend! Thanks for joining Sports Mole for our live coverage once again. Until next time!
