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Real Madrid beat Levante 2-0 in Alvaro Arbeloa's first La Liga game in charge Raul Asencio heads in second goal for hosts after Kylian Mbappe penalty Real move to within a point of leaders Barcelona Levante stay second bottom, four points from safety Marissa Thomas Alvaro Arbeloa celebrates his 43rd birthday with his first win as Real Madrid manager. See you again soon! FT: Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Kylian Mbappe has scored 50 goals in 53 La Liga games, making him the second fastest player to reach this milestone in the competition in the 21st century, after Cristiano Ronaldo in 2011 (51 appearances). FT: Real Madrid 2-0 Levante It was shaping up to be a birthday to forget for Arbeloa after a slow, uninspiring first half, with a Real Madrid side that showed little evidence of their second-place standing in the league.

However, Mbappe'’s second-half goal proved to be the turning point. It sparked a clear response from Madrid, who went on to deliver a much-improved 45 minutes. They were more clinical in front of goal and produced flashes of the quality they’re capable of.

It may not have been the complete performance Real Madrid aspire to, but it was a hard-earned three points and a fitting birthday gift for Arbeloa: three points and his first win as Real Madrid manager. As the full-time whistle blew, fans were still unimpressed. They know their team can and should deliver better. The manager will have plenty to answer in front of the press shortly, there's no doubt about that. FT: Real Madrid 2-0 Levante In the end, Real Madrid deserved the win but it could have been more comfortable if not for Mathew Ryan's performance. The former Brighton and Arsenal goalkeeper made nine saves, his highest total in a single La Liga match. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Real Madrid get the win they desperately needed. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante We are into five minutes added time. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Elizabeth Conway BBC Sport Spanish football reporter at the Bernabeu Vinicius Jr takes it on himself, bursting into the box with a quick run. The effort is comfortably saved by the Levante keeper but his initiative is applauded by Jude Bellingham. Bellingham has been vocal in his support for Vinicius in recent weeks, backing his teammate amid the criticism he’s faced. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante David Alaba comes on for Raul Asencio who receives a rapturous applause from the home fans as he departs. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Jude Bellingham strikes from a tight angle and Mathew Ryan makes a great save. The ball came at him quickly and he reacted very well. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Vinicius Junior shoots from a tight angle and Mathew Ryan easily saves. He hasn't scored a La Liga goal since the 4th of October. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Elizabeth Conway BBC Sport Spanish football reporter at the Bernabeu A nice moment of sportsmanship there. Play pauses briefly as Bellingham helps a Levante player who’s gone down with cramp. Levante have put in a tremendous shift today, capped off by a fantastic first half performance. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Levante make a triple change. On: Carlos Espi, Paco Cortes and Jon Olasagasti. Off: Kareem Tunde, Carlos Alvarez and Ivan Romero. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Real Madrid are looking far more comfortable after going two goals in front and the home crowd have quietened down for the time being. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Elizabeth Conway BBC Sport Spanish football reporter at the Bernabeu Arbeloa has remained as close to the players as possible in his technical area. He admitted earlier this week that communicating from the touchline can be challenging in a stadium like the Bernabeu, where the noise makes it difficult for players to hear instructions.

“At Castilla, I didn’t need to raise my voice to be heard. I could just talk, it was easier, ” he said. “That’s why my main job is done during the week, making sure they’re clear on what I want. ” Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Jude Bellingham's header is well saved by Mathew Ryan. He has had some good chances today. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Franco Mastantuono cracks a superb effort off the woodwork. Mathew Ryan was well beaten. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Arda Guler swings a corner into the box but it is headed clear. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Levante have made two changes. On: Iker Losada and Ugo Raghouber. Off: Karl Etta Eyong and Unai Vencedor. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Raul Asencio heads over as he misses the chance to further increase Real Madrid's lead. Real Madrid 2-0 Levante Elizabeth Conway BBC Sport Spanish football reporter at the Bernabeu Jude Bellingham is working hard to carve out chances for himself inside the box, and you can clearly sense his determination to get his name on the scoresheet. Kylian Mbappe has scored 19 La Liga goals for Real Madrid this season Real Madrid moved to within one point of La Liga leaders Barcelona with a 2-0 win over Levante on an afternoon that was overshadowed by fan protests at the Bernabeu. Madrid supporters waved white handkerchiefs before kick-off and then aimed boos and whistles at players - in particular Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Jr and Federico Valverde - as well as the club's hierarchy. Alvaro Arbeloa - who replaced Xabi Alonso as manager on Monday - was also targeted during the game, before goals from Kylian Mbappe and Raul Asencio in the second half helped the 15-time European Cup winners to victory at the end of a tumultuous week. After a humiliating defeat in the Copa del Rey to second division side Albacete on Wednesday, Arbeloa restored Mbappe and Bellingham to the starting XI for his first La Liga match in charge. The unrest among supporters became clear in the opening 10 minutes when Bellingham was the subject of jeers from the stands despite driving his side towards goal. After managing only one shot on target in the first half, Arbeloa shuffled his pack at the break and called upon Arda Guler and Franco Mastantuono for the second half. In the 58th minute, Mbappe broke the deadlock from the penalty spot after drawing a foul from Adrian de la Fuente. The Frenchman - who is the top scorer in La Liga this season with 19 goals - was one of a few players, along with 21-year-old forward Gonzalo Garcia, not to be jeered by Real fans on Saturday. Defender Asencio added a second for the hosts seven minutes later when he climbed highest to head home Guler's corner. Real are next in action on Tuesday when they host Monaco in the Champions League. Comments can not be loaded To load Comments you need to enable Java Script in your browser Last Updated 17th January 2026 at 15: 57 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: Arbeloa Formation: 4 - 3 - 3 Manager: Luís Castro Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: Arbeloa Formation: 4 - 3 - 3 Manager: Luís Castro Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Spanish La Liga All competitions All competitions All competitions Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.