On January 17, 2026, a week after arriving in Madrid from Canada for the holidays, I attended Real Madrid’s La Liga encounter with Levante UD at the Bernabéu. This match was the first home game under new coach Álvaro Arbeloa, making a win essential after the dramatic loss to Albacete.
Real Madrid emerged with a 2-0 victory thanks to a composed second-half performance that finally unlocked a stubborn Levante defence. The first half was tight, with Real controlling possession but creating little. They stepped it up after the break and secured the win.
The breakthrough arrived in the 58th minute when Kylian Mbappé was brought down in the box and coolly converted the resulting penalty to put Real Madrid ahead. The French forward’s clinical calm under pressure, his 19th league goal of the season, was a defining spark in a match that had threatened to drift into frustration in the atmosphere.
Just seven minutes later, Real doubled their lead. A whipped corner from Arda Güler met the towering presence of Raúl Asencio, who powered home a brilliant header to make it 2-0 and effectively seal the game.
The first half had offered little in the way of clear openings, with Levante defending deep and denying space between the lines. The visitors’ organization stifled Real’s early rhythm, and only sporadic efforts, a long pass from Asensio narrowly missing Mbappé, and a couple of set-pieces, hinted at Madrid’s attacking threat.
Manager Álvaro Arbeloa made decisive tactical adjustments at the break, introducing Franco Mastantuono alongside Arda Güler, a move that immediately altered the flow of the game. Operating primarily down the right flank, the pair’s intelligent link-up play and constant interchanging of positions disrupted Levante’s defensive structure. They created the pockets of space that had been absent in the opening half. Real’s pressing intensity increased as a result, and chances began to flow more freely; Mastantuono even struck the bar late in the second period as Madrid pushed for a third.
Despite the advantage, Levante’s keeper Ryan made several fine saves to keep the scoreline respectable, denying efforts from Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham as time wound down.
The result also highlighted a contrast to Real Madrid’s recent match against Albacete, where they saw plenty of the ball but struggled to break teams down due to limited movement and positional changes. This time, the increased interchange after halftime brought more pace and variety, creating spaces that had been closed earlier. Levante stayed organized throughout, but Madrid’s improved movement made the difference, turning possession into chances and securing a controlled 2–0 win.
After the match, I had the opportunity to attend the press conference of Levante’s head coach Luís Castro and Real Madrid’s head coach Álvaro Arbeloa.
If Arbeloa can continue laying the groundwork for the footballing philosophy he cemented at Castilla, nights like this suggest Real Madrid may yet turn their season around.