Real Madrid won. That’s the headline, but honestly, it feels like the least important part of what happened at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday night. If you’re looking for the Real Madrid today match result, it’s a 2-0 victory over Levante. But those three points are currently buried under a mountain of drama, fan unrest, and a managerial transition that feels more like a soap opera than a football strategy.
The Bernabéu is a tough room. It’s arguably the most demanding stadium in the world. On Saturday, before the first whistle even blew, the air was thick. The Madridistas weren't just unhappy; they were vocal about it. Boos rained down during the warmup. Chants were directed at Florentino Pérez. This wasn't just about a single game—it was the fallout from a "black week" that saw Xabi Alonso exit the club and a humiliating Copa del Rey loss to second-tier Albacete.
Alvaro Arbeloa, stepping into the technical area as the new boss, looked like a man trying to put out a forest fire with a water pistol.
The Breakthrough: Mbappe Hits 50
It took 58 minutes for the tension to snap. Kylian Mbappé, who has been carrying a mysterious knee issue that seemingly disappears the moment a match starts, was tripped in the box by Levante's Dela. He didn't blink. He stepped up, smashed the penalty home, and in doing so, hit a massive milestone: 50 La Liga goals in just 53 appearances.
Think about that for a second. That is a scoring rate of 0.94 goals per game. People love to debate whether he "fits" the system or if he's taking up Vinícius Júnior's space, but the numbers are just stupidly good. He is the top scorer in the league with 19 goals this season, and without him, Madrid would likely be sitting in fourth or fifth right now rather than chasing Barcelona's tail.
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Asencio: The New Defensive Anchor?
Seven minutes after the Mbappe opener, Raul Asencio put the game to bed. He rose above everyone to meet an Arda Güler corner—which was whipped in with terrifying precision, by the way—and powered a header home.
Asencio’s rise is interesting because it’s born of desperation. With Eder Militão out until March and Antonio Rüdiger nursing a knee injury, the backline is basically held together by duct tape and hope. Asencio mentioned after the game that the team felt "guilty" for the Albacete disaster. You could see that urgency in his play. He wasn't just defending; he was playing like a man trying to save his career.
The Struggles of Vini and Jude
It wasn't all celebrations. The crowd was notably aggressive toward Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham. It’s weird to see, honestly. Vini only has six goals this season compared to 22 last year. Bellingham is also down on his numbers. Every time they touched the ball in a cagey first half, the whistles started.
- Real Madrid's Current Standings: 48 points from 20 matches.
- The Gap: One point behind Barcelona (though Barca has a game in hand).
- The Injury List: Trent Alexander-Arnold (hamstring), David Alaba, and Militão are all still out.
What This Result Actually Means
This win snapped a two-match losing streak, which is basically a state of emergency in Madrid. But let’s be real: beating 19th-place Levante at home shouldn't be this hard. The first half was flat. The players looked like they were still wearing the scars of the Super Cup loss to Barcelona.
Arbeloa has his work cut out for him. He’s dealing with a squad that has seven major injuries, including five defenders. He’s also dealing with a locker room that just lost a tactical mastermind in Xabi Alonso.
The Real Madrid today match result buys some breathing room, but only about 72 hours of it. On Tuesday night, the Champions League returns to the Bernabéu. Monaco is coming to town, and that’s a whole different level of pressure. If the defense plays the way they did in the first 30 minutes against Levante, a Champions League exit is a real possibility.
Practical Steps for Madridistas
If you're following the title race, keep a close eye on the Villarreal and Valencia matches coming up in late January and February. Madrid's depth is being tested to its absolute limit.
- Monitor the Injury Reports: Specifically regarding Trent Alexander-Arnold’s return in February. The right-back position is currently a revolving door that needs closing.
- Watch the Champions League Rotation: Arbeloa is likely to lean heavily on Arda Güler and Endrick in the coming weeks to preserve Mbappe’s knee.
- Scout the Monaco Match: Espen Eskås has been confirmed as the referee for Tuesday. He’s officiated Madrid twice before, and they won both (Union Berlin and Brest), so maybe there’s a bit of a "good luck charm" factor there for the superstitious fans.
The storm hasn't passed, but for today, the Bernabéu can at least stop whistling. For a few hours, anyway.