Real Madrid Fans Vent Frustration Before Team Secures Victory
Real Madrid supporters expressed their anger loudly at Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. They jeered their own team before watching them defeat Levante 2-0 in La Liga action. This important win gave new coach Alvaro Arbeloa his first victory in charge.
A Tense Atmosphere at Bernabeu
The home crowd created a sour atmosphere in the Spanish capital. Star players Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham faced particular ire from frustrated fans. This reaction came after a disastrous week for the club.
Real Madrid lost the Spanish Super Cup final to rivals Barcelona last Sunday. They parted ways with previous coach Xabi Alonso on Monday. Then they suffered a humiliating Copa del Rey defeat at second-tier Albacete on Wednesday.
Some supporters even chanted for president Florentino Perez to resign. The tension was palpable throughout the stadium.
Arbeloa Defends Fan Expression
"I've always respected the Bernabeu crowd," said Arbeloa, who celebrated his 43rd birthday with the win. "They whistled me a lot too as a player. This demanding nature is one aspect that makes this club so great."
The new coach defended the right of fans to express themselves. He understood their frustration after the team's recent poor performances.
Mbappe Breaks the Deadlock
The first half offered little excitement against Levante, who sit 19th in La Liga. Mbappe had the best chance during this flat period. The French superstar met a long ball with a volley that flew wide of the post.
Home fans jeered their side as they left for halftime. Madrid returned for the second half with more energy. Arbeloa brought on substitutes Franco Mastantuono and Arda Guler to change the game.
Mbappe drew a foul in the area from Adrian de la Fuente to earn a penalty. He calmly dispatched it for his 19th league goal of the campaign. This marked his 50th goal in just 53 La Liga appearances.
The French forward reached this milestone slightly slower than Real Madrid's all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo. The Portuguese legend managed it in 51 games.
Asencio Seals the Victory
Raul Asencio doubled Madrid's advantage with a powerful header. He connected perfectly with Guler's corner, placing the ball into the top corner. This gave the hosts complete control of the match.
Bellingham came close to adding a third goal. Mathew Ryan parried his header and then saved Vinicius's effort after a darting run from the Brazilian. Ryan thwarted Bellingham again as the game progressed.
Tensions gradually calmed by the final whistle. The crowd seemed temporarily satisfied with the victory. However, the jeers and whistles will likely return unless Madrid builds on this performance.
Player Reactions After the Match
"Today was a very important day," Asencio told Real Madrid TV. "Playing in front of our fans, we wanted to turn around the situation. What happened at Albacete should not have happened. We felt guilty and we wanted to make things better."
The win helped second-place Madrid cut the gap on leaders Barcelona to just one point. The in-form Spanish champions visit Real Sociedad on Sunday.
Villarreal Stumble in Title Race
Elsewhere in La Liga, third-place Villarreal stumbled to a 2-0 defeat at Real Betis. This result hampered their attempts at mounting a serious title challenge.
Aitor Ruibal and Pablo Fornals scored second-half goals to secure an impressive victory for Betis over Marcelino Garcia Toral's visitors. The loss leaves Villarreal eight points behind leaders Barcelona.
Betis controlled more possession in an otherwise even first half. Ruibal volleyed them ahead after 57 minutes. Santi Comesana's red card for a rash challenge on Giovani Lo Celso made Villarreal's task more difficult.
Fornals killed the game with precision. He drilled home from outside the area with just seven minutes remaining.
Villarreal Midfielder Expresses Disappointment
"It was a hard-fought game," Villarreal midfielder Dani Parejo told Movistar. "The details led to Betis winning. I think a draw would have been fairest. We lacked the finishing touch but had some clear chances. The team showed up well, but in both boxes we weren't quite good enough."
In other Saturday action, Vedat Muriqi scored a hat-trick for Mallorca. His three goals secured a 3-2 win over Athletic Bilbao at La Cartuja.
