Real Madrid 0 - Levante 1

Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Sergio Ramos, Iván Helguera, Miguel Torres; Guti, Diarra; Reyes (Robinho 46, Nieto 77'), Higuaín, Raúl; Van Nistelrooy. 4-2-3-1.
Levante: Molina; Manolo, Dehú, Alexis, Rubiales; Camacho, Tomassi; Riga, Kapo (Berson 82'), Robert (Ettien 66'); Salva (Reggi 88'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Madrid: Michel Salgado, Guti, Raúl for Cannavaro, Gago, Robinho / Levante: Alexis, Rubiales, Salva for José Serrano, Harte, Ettien.

Goals:
0-1. 11. Salva (penalty). After Diarra brought down Tomassi inside the area.

The white handkerchiefs were out at the Santiago Bernabeu after Real Madrid lost 0-1 to a Levante side who never so much as won a point against them in their previous meetings. The crowd were already unhappy about the recent poor results and the fiasco over the elections, and when Diarra brought down Tomassi and referee Alvarez Izquierdo awarded a penalty they were even more so. Levante's new signing Salva converted the kick, virtually his first touch since joining from Málaga a few days ago.

With Raúl back from injury and leading the side, Madrid pushed forward for the equaliser. Higuaín broke through but failed to find his team captain with a cross, and Van Nistelrooy fired an effort wide. Raúl felt he should have had two penalties either side of half time, and Van Nistelrooy probably had a more valid claim when Alexis brought him down just inside the area. And Molina did well to keep out a couple of shots from Raúl later in the second half.

Capello had brought on Robinho at the break, but he limped off with an injury midway through the half, and with nobody else left, the coach had to turn to youth team striker Nieto. The youngster almost saved a point though with a shot against the bar, but otherwise there was no spark, and the fans booed off their players at the end. Madrid have only scored four goals in their last seven games, and it is difficult to see how they are going to improve on this form.