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Real Madrid 1 Levante 2: Lopetegui on the brink
Real Madrid has failed to get his season back on track as he had fallen at home to Levante, putting pressure on Julen Lopetegui.
Julen Lopetegui looks on the verge of being sacked from his position as head coach of Real Madrid after a 2-1 home defeat to Levante, which has prolonged the dismal race of champions of Europe .
The Madrid boss made five changes Saturday to try to end a series of four games without a win or a goal.
But Jose Luis Morales and a penalty kick by Roger Marti allowed Levante to score two minutes in 13 minutes in a dramatic Liga match that included three VAR critics.
Madrid broke its club record for the longest scoreless run of its history in 116 years, failing in the first 56 minutes, a series eventually ending with Marcelo's shot at 18 minutes of time.
Despite the fact that he touched the wood three times, Madrid failed, leaving Lopetegui under additional pressure to save his job. The Clasico takes place in just eight days.
M & M's strike force goes wild!
@ jose1987morales
@ Roger27M #RealMadridLevante pic.twitter.com/HO7UnQMsD1
– LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) October 20, 2018
Levante took only six minutes to strike. Raphael Varane missed the long ball completely and let his captain Jose Luis Morales bypass Thibaut Courtois and slip into an empty goal.
Before they knew it, Madrid was two. Varane reacted by trying to challenge Marti, and after a long overhaul of the VAR which resulted in a fine, the attacker himself started the shot and beat Courtois, who had his hand on it.
Madrid then seemed to have lost one when Marco Asensio headed from under the bar after Casemiro's aerial effort crushed the frame, but another long VAR report belied the hosts.
Madrid hit the bar again when Mariano Diaz gave a striking header towards the goal, while Lucas Vazquez failed to beat Oier Olazabal at close range in a great opportunity.
Just before half-time, a magnificent move from the Levante players, ended by Ruben Rochina, was dismissed by VAR due to an offside during the tune-up.
Lopetegui brought Gareth Bale at half-time, followed by Karim Benzema and Dani Ceballos.
But it took time for the breakthrough to occur, with Marcelo scoring a 15-yard shot from the right foot after Benzema's assist.
First goal of the season for @ MarceloM12! #RealMadridLevante pic.twitter.com/CG03I0ZP8C
– LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) October 20, 2018
The goal of the 20-yard curling forward hit the post late in the game. It's the closest Madrid that has equalized. Mariano's last goal shot was declared offside in a match that occupied the officials.
Levante should have scored three goals at the end of the match, Morales firing hard when everything was cleansed, before the final whistle was greeted by the hooters of the local fans.
What does it mean: Clasico or bust for Lopetegui … he's so successful so far
Lopetegui was already under scrutiny after defeats in Sevilla, CSKA Moscow and Deportivo Alaves, as well as a scoreless draw against Atletico Madrid in the last four games.
After making a daring team pick, including naming Bale, Toni Kroos and Benzema on the bench, another appalling result here, paired with a series of bad goals historically bad, places him on the verge of the pass.
The missing Clasico in Barcelona next week will surely decide the fate of Lopetegui, if he manages even so far after the defeat and a key match in the Champions League against Viktoria Plzen.
Olazabal does a favor at the old club Barca
The former Barcelona substitute, Olazabal, was going to have to play well for Levante to record a famous win at Santiago Bernabeu, and he certainly did.
Also helped by the woodwork that Madrid has hit three times, Olazabal made 11 saves, his best being a point blank block with his leg on Vazquez just before the break. If that had been the case, all the momentum would have been with Madrid.
Varane at fault for Madrid
Winner of the Champions League four times, Madrid now has Varane. But the decorated French international, fresh out of the World Cup, had difficulties this season and was particularly responsible for this match.
His mistake, having failed to cut a long ball from Postigo, allowed Morales to open the scoring and he then conceded the penalty for Levante 's second goal. From there, he was part of a wide open Madrid defense and regularly vulnerable to Levante counter-attacks, with visitors having a third goal eliminated before the break.
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And after?
Madrid must find an answer Tuesday against Plzen in the Champions League, but all eyes are already turned to their huge trip to Camp Nou to face their rival Barcelona Liga Sunday. Strong of a third consecutive victory in championship, Levante will welcome Leganes next Saturday.
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