Real Madrid defeated Levante 2–0 at home at the Santiago Bernabéu in a match marked by a tense and hostile atmosphere in the stands. Even before kickoff and throughout much of the game, fans voiced their dissatisfaction with whistles, insults, and banners demanding the resignation of club president Florentino Pérez.
The goals came in the second half and shifted the emotional tone of the match. Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring in the 58th minute from the penalty spot, and Raúl Asencio doubled the lead in the 65th minute. Until then, Real Madrid had shown an uneven performance, with disconnected lines and a lack of clear attacking ideas, which only fueled the crowd’s protests.
The whistles were especially loud against Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Jr., Federico Valverde, and young midfielder Franco Mastantuono.
Amid this high-tension context, the introductions of Arda Güler and Mastantuono improved the activity and flow of Madrid’s midfield.
Mastantuono, in particular, showed flashes of his quality in this match. Rather than playing backward, he displayed a more daring and vertical approach, constantly looking toward the opposing goal. He struck the crossbar with a powerful shot and delivered a precise pass to Mbappé inside the box that, due to misfortune for the hosts, did not end in a goal.
In the post-match press conference, head coach Álvaro Arbeloa, who is only in charge of his second game with the team, said he understands the fans’ protests and emphasized that high demands are part of Real Madrid’s identity.
Whistles, boos, and banners are nothing new at the Santiago Bernabéu when the team goes through poor stretches of results. Supporters are there to remind players and the coaching staff of their dissatisfaction.
A clear example is the whistles once directed at Cristiano Ronaldo, even when he was the club’s leading goal scorer—an issue that Florentino Pérez himself publicly questioned at the time from his business-oriented view of the club.
On this night, Levante, well organized both defensively and offensively, troubled Real Madrid for long stretches of the match, led by an outstanding performance from midfielder Pablo Martínez Andrés, who controlled the tempo and rhythm of the game. His display at the Bernabéu evoked memories of Croatian star Luka Modrić.
With this victory, Real Madrid remain second in the standings with 48 points, just one behind leaders Barcelona, while Villarreal continue to hold third place.
