Rotation was the key to Real Madrid’s title win during the 2016/2017 campaign, but this weekend featured plenty of regrets. After drawing 1-1 with Valencia at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in their second La Liga fixture of the season, Zinedine Zidane’s men followed it up with the same result against Levante. It was, however, in no way a flash-in-the-pan upset from the Granotas.
While los Blancos chopped and changed after the international break, the visitors trusted in the bulk of the unit which got them promoted from Segunda last season - and that continuity and consistency across the first three matchdays has seen them hit the ground running in the Spanish top flight.
Jose Campana, Jefferson Lerma and Rober made up a central midfield trio in the capital, with Jason and Ivi tasked with dropping back into the wide areas defensively, as well as supporting lone striker Alex Alegria. Rather than being a triumph of individual quality, Juan Ramon Lopez Muniz’s side have a cohesion in terms of tactical organisation that is tough to rival across La Liga.
Alex Alegria is the man to lead the initial press, with one of the three midfielders taking the initiative to step out and challenge whoever brings possession forward for the opposition. The rest of his team-mates in midfield remain flat and well spaced, ensuring that it's tough for teams to play through their lines. Madrid were often forced wide, with Marco Asensio unable to receive service in pockets of space between Levante’s back four and midfield.
At centre-back, Postigo and Chema have not taken any prisoners nor risks, while goalkeeper Raul Fernandez turned in a performance of the highest order in Madrid. Full-backs Ivan Lopez and Tono are competent defensively but love to hare forward on the counter-attack too. Levante’s unit is well balanced, well drilled and boasts a pacy threat on the break. Even without Morales, their key wide man who was suspended at the weekend, there is enough depth within the squad to field adequate replacements.
The man who stepped into the void on Saturday was Ivi, signed for a bargain fee from Sevilla’s B team this summer. After getting across Dani Carvajal inside the penalty area and using his stocky frame to protect the ball, he converted with a delicate, clipped finish which sank comfortably into the far corner beyond Kiko Casilla. Levante have no standout names, but if their upward trajectory continues that will cease to be the case by the end of the season.
Not only do the Granotas play well as a unit, they also have the required quality in midfield to control games. Their draw with Real Madrid was an insight into how they will play on the road when the odds are stacked against them, but their opening win against Villarreal highlighted the fact they have enough technical ability to enjoy their own spells of domination in games. Campana and Enis Bardhi are wonderfully elegant midfielders, while Lerma has both the energy to disrupt play and the technical ability to construct it.
There is a balance within Levante’s squad that many within La Liga must be envious of. Not only can they play in a reserved fashion and hit opponents on the break, they can also be bold and brazen, playing on the front foot and retaining possession. Their only problem, or point of debate, is who should lead the line.
Last season’s top goalscorer Roger is sidelined until the new year due to injury, with Real Betis loanee Alex Alegria yet to impress. Emmanuel Boateng has been signed from Moreirense but hasn’t made an impact on the first team, with Muniz’s men having lacked that killer instinct inside the penalty area. When Morales returns from his ban Ivi could be deployed as an out-and-out striker, although it's also true that only tweaks are necessary to get the best out of this Levante group.
A relegation battle looks completely out of the question, with focus instead turning to just how far Levante can challenge the best of the rest in La Liga. A multi-faceted squad with a solid tactical understanding can go a long way in the modern game, and the Granotas’ performances are undoubtedly the outcome of good coaching without technical ability being sacrificed.
They are not here to sit back and grind out results like the drab bottom three of yesteryear. Levante are here to play and they have already shown Villarreal, Deportivo La Coruna and Real Madrid that they can do just that.
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