La Liga: Levante Dream of Double

Levante vs Real Madrid

They can win at city rivals Atletico and at Dutch favourites Ajax, albeit with a considerable helping hand from VAR, one minute.

The next they can lose at home to lowly Girona.

No wonder SBOBET followers can no longer back Real Madrid with too much certainty.

Indeed, in many ways the only consistency for Los Blancos this season has been their inconsistency.

Yet while the La Liga title is surely beyond them – they trail leaders Barcelona by nine points – they are still in contention for silverware as they try to adapt to life post Cristiano Ronaldo.

Talking Points

In Real’s defence, the world superstar and Lionel Messi are two of the very few players on planet football who can be deemed irreplaceable and CR7’s former team-mates have suffered as a result.

Their opponents this weekend know that more than most.

For it was in October when Levante cast a dark shadow over the Bernabeu and produced one of the shock La Liga news stories of this and many seasons.

A 2-1 win for the underdogs meant Real had gone five matches without a win and, perhaps more pertinently, more than 460 minutes without a goal – the club’s most barren record since 1985.

Coach Julen Lopetegui departed just nine days later and its fair to say life has only been marginally better since, though supporters of his replacement Santiago Solari will point to his decent record (including a 13-match unbeaten run) since being appointed boss until at least the end of the season.

Club president Florentino Perez and Solari reportedly met earlier this week and there is certainly an expectation on Solari and his senior players to ensure they become more consistent in the final third of the campaign.

Those players include Luka Modric and Thibaut Courtois who were this week recognised by the International Federation of History and Statistics in Football for their achievement for club and country during 2018.

Modric, who has reportedly extended his contract with the club this week until 2021, surely highlights the sense within the squad is that there is a strong possibility of reaching the Copa del Rey final after drawing 1-1 at the Camp Nou in the first leg and that they remain in a favourable position going into the second leg of their last 16 Champions League tie against Ajax, having won 2-1 in Amsterdam.

This fixture precedes three straight home matches (two against Barcelona and one against Ajax) which could well shape their season.

Sergio Ramos’s absence might decrease Real Madrid’s defence in their upcoming La Liga clash against Levante — Sergio Ramos was sent off after hitting a Girona player with a bicycle kick

They will be without Sergio Ramos this weekend and for the Copa semi-final against Barca which will encourage the opposition, starting in the Estadio Ciudad De Valencia.

Levante were in fine form last weekend, winning 4-1 at surprise strugglers Celta Vigo, courtesy of goals from Jose Morales (two), Andujar Moreno and Borja Mayoral.

However, that was their first win in four and, while they are comfortable in midtable, they are really overachieving and should be no match for Real.

There again, we all said that four months ago!

History

It was not just earlier this season that Levante frustrated Madrid.

Last season both league meetings ended with honours even.

A 1-1 draw in the Bernabeu in September 2017 was followed by a 2-2 draw in the corresponding fixture when Giampaolo Pazzini earned Levante a late point after they had twice fought from behind.

Overall, Madrid have won nine and drawn two of their 13 meetings at the Valencia based club.

Betting Tip

	Levante vs Real Madrid	Total Goal 2-3 @ 2.33
	February 25, 03:45 (GMT+8)

It will be of no surprise that Real are white-hot favourites for the win and to avenge that shock defeat.

1X2 odds price them @ 1.56 with the draw out @ 4.00 and an unlikely home win @ 5.60.

Similarly, Asian Handicap betting gives you options with Real – 1.00 @ 1.89 and -1.25 @ 2.16, compared to Levante + 0.75 @ 2.33.

Double Chance or Draw is also only worth considering if you go for the Levante or Draw option @ 2.32.

Goals are expected in this encounter, given the fairly low price you can pick up for over 3.75 goals @ 2.25, and total goal 0-1 @ 6.80.

Meanwhile, a repeat of Levante’s autumn win will get you odds on correct score 2-1 @ 17.50.

First Half Asian Handicap Real -0.50 @ 2.09 has caught my eye.

With the European Champions keeping one eye firmly on their games immediately ahead, I am expecting Levante to give Real a test, even if I expect the visitors to prevail.