Champions Real Madrid will be looking to return to winning ways in Span’s top flight when they host Levante at Bernabeu on Thursday.
Los Blancos lost 1-0 to rivals Atletico Madrid in the Madrid derby at the weekend, while Levante enter the contest off the back of a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad.
A first half penalty from Yannick Carrasco ultimately decided the contest, but it was an important match for Atletico than it was for Los Blancos, who claimed the title on April 30 with a 4-0 win over Espanyol, and their attention will now be on the Champions League final against Liverpool on May 28.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side have the best home record in La Liga this season, picking up 40 points from 17 matches, and they will welcome a Levante side with the fourth-worst away record, but it is a bigger match for the visitors who are fighting to stay in the division.
Real Madrid were held to a 3-3 draw by Levante in the reverse fixture earlier this season, while they lost 1-0 when the pair met at Bernabeu last season, with their last home victory over Thursday’s opponents coming back in September 2019.
Meanwhile, Levante head into the game off the back of a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad on May 6, with Gonzalo Melero’s 90th-minute penalty proving decisive in the contest in Valencia.
Granotes are currently 19th in the table, five points behind 17th-placed Granada, so they will need to secure three positive results in their final three matches to stand a chance of staying in the league.
Alessio Lisci’s side have only won six league matches this season while they have conceded 67 times, so it is not difficult to see why it has been such a difficult campaign for the two-time Segunda Division champions.
Real Madrid vs Levante head to head
The two teams have previously met on 29 occasions across all competitions, where Real have claimed 19 victories while Levante have won six, and they have drawn in four. Levante have scored 28 goals and conceded 73. In their last five meetings, both have won twice while they have drawn twice.
Real Madrid 3-2 Levante 14/09/19
Levante 1-0 Real Madrid 22/02/20
Levante 0-2 Real Madrid 04/10/20
Real Madrid 1-2 Levante 30/01/21
Levante 3-3 Real Madrid 22/08/21
Real Madrid latest home form
Real Madrid have recently been on a good run of form at home, having won each of their two most recent matches. They defeated Manchester City 3-1 after extra time on May 4 in the Champions League. In their last five matches, they have scored 11 goals and conceded eight.
Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona 20/03/22
Real Madrid 2-0 Getafe 09/04/22
Real Madrid 2-3(E) Chelsea 12/04/22
Real Madrid 4-0 Espanyol 30/04/22
Real Madrid (E)3-1 Manchester City 04/05/22
Real Madrid latest away form
Real Madrid have recently failed to keep a good run of form on the road, having lost each of their two most recent matches. They lost 1-0 to Atletico Madrid in their last away game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored 12 goals and conceded nine.
Chelsea 1-3 Real Madrid 06/04/22
Sevilla 2-3 Real Madrid 17/04/22
Osasuna 1-3 Real Madrid 20/04/22
Manchester City 4-3 Real Madrid 26/04/22
Atletico Madrid 1-0 Real Madrid 08/05/22
Levante latest home form
Levante have recently failed to keep a good run of form at home, having won just two of their five most recent matches. In their last home game, they managed to defeat Real Sociedad 2-1 in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored nine goals and conceded eight.
Levante 1-1 Espanyol 12/03/22
Levante 2-0 Villarreal 02/04/22
Levante 2-3 Barcelona 10/04/22
Levante 2-3 Sevilla 21/04/22
Levante 2-1 Real Sociedad 06/05/22
Levante latest away form
Levante have recently failed to keep a good run of form on the road, having won just one of their five most recent matches. They drew 1-1 with Valencia in their last away game in the league. In their last five matches, they have scored eight goals and conceded nine.
Celta Vigo 1-1 Levante 21/02/22
Athletic Bilbao 3-1 Levante 07/03/22
Osasuna 3-1 Levante 19/03/22
Granada 1-4 Levante 17/04/22
Valencia 1-1 Levante 30/04/22
Real Madrid news
Real Madrid have welcomed Eden Hazard back into first-team training following a leg operation, but he will again be unavailable for selection on Thursday
Gareth Bale, Marcelo, David Alaba, Dani Ceballos and Isco all missed out against Atletico at the weekend and remain doubts for the hosts in this match.
Levante news
Levante will be without Roberto Soldado, Shkodran Mustafi, Jorge de Frutos and Carlos Clerc for Thursday’s contest.
Dani Gomez and Jose Luis Morales are set to continue as the front two in a 5-3-2 formation, with Jorge Miramon and Son featuring as the wing-backs, while Melero could come in for Jose Campana.
Prediction and Odds
Levante will be looking for a victory that will keep their hopes of remaining in the top flight alive, and will be encouraged by the 3-3 draw with Thursday’s hosts last time out.
Despite Los Blancos not being under pressure to win, we predict that they will secure a win.
Odds: 1 1.82 X 2.05 2 2.20
Probable outcomes
Real Madrid 1-0 Levante
Real Madrid 2-0 Levante
Real Madrid 2-1 Levante
Real Madrid 1-1 Levante
Real Madrid 0-1 Levante
