Real Madrid-Levante Requiem with ten

Chasing demands. Chasing from afar is discouraging, because any adversity seems decisive, because any stumbling block can be the last. Madrid, with a patched defense, played 82 minutes with ten and the game became a ball. Even getting ahead on the scoreboard didn't strengthen him. The impression was left that in the crucial launch, not only did he lose Militao, but he lost faith in the company. when February has not yet been completed.

Levante is a peculiar team, much more funky than those of its condition and budget. Daring even when moving in situations that invite recollection. Up or down, try to play big, with his two points of regulation plus Morales, the third man, disguised as a winger. And putting a face to it, he went to Di Stéfano. The open field is for him and there he gives and receives from the first minute. So their matches are an adventure movie.

This time they started on the first credits: in 12 minutes Morales almost took advantage of a translation error between Odriozola and Courtois; Hazard drew an 80-meter diagonal that brought him closer to his service record and Benzema did not finish; Militao went to the street, via VAR, for almost accidentally stopping Sergio León as the last man with Ramos in the stands; and Asensio, on the contrary, put an inferior Madrid ahead after a pass from Kroos while Levante requested an unclear penalty from Mendy to Melero and remained with his back in the air.

Granota reaction

That chronicle of events led to a steering wheel in the script. Levante was left with the ball and without space, two setbacks. And Bettoni / Zidane, who made Chust warm up, ended up placing Casemiro next to Varane in that accordion operation that put Madrid in a 4-4-1. The thinning of the Madrid squad, the result of the club's restrictive policy, and the oxidation of a significant part of it have ended up forcing players to be what they are not: Lucas Vázquez, winger; Modric, recuperator; Benzema, ultra-scorer; Casemiro, central. Players all with military service who have accepted the reconversion in an adult phase of their careers.

In the recycling table, Odriozola could also be included, a winger who is far from being lateral, although as such he was signed by Madrid. Morales sneaked up his back to hit an early spectacular bounce to tie the game. Before and after Courtois saved several shots from Roger, another from the artillery corps. The signs pointed to a Calvary for Madrid with Casemiro as a heroic breakwater.

Roger, sand and lime

And it is that the proposal of the Raise invited to extend much to the team, to cut the legs to him in that going and coming of the party from coast to coast. With everything, the white team had the first big chance of the second half. A slip at the time of the hit left Benzema very slighted.

The match suffered a stoppage until Medié whistled another microscopic penalty. Vinicius dropped Clerc with his toe over the penalty area line. It was the first absurd action of the Brazilian, who had relieved the always insubstantial Hazard to play on the right, the band that is indigestible. Courtois stopped Roger with an iron hand.

Vinicius entered the game spinning around, but Madrid immediately began to breathe for him. His speed was out of reach of any sentry from the weary Levante. However, the rest were already too heavy for the body. And Madrid ended up swallowing the second goal. It was in the redemption of Roger, who from control and shot at the turnaround took Madrid out of the League with a presumably irreversible character.

The reaction of the white bench seemed bizarre. Mariano by Benzema, Arribas by Asensio. Piece by piece when the catastrophic zone was already declared in a game that sounded like the end.