Real Madrid return to La Liga action at the Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday afternoon, facing second-from-bottom Levante, seeking to ignite a season that has spiralled following back-to-back defeats in the space of four days.
Real Madrid vs Levante – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 17th January.
- Kick-off: 1pm BST.
- Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid.
Real Madrid team news
Real Madrid are severely hampered by unavailability issues heading into this encounter. Kylian Mbappé, despite showing improvements in his recovery from a persistent left knee sprain, has been ruled out of the match.
According to reports, while the pain in his left knee has subsided, the club believes the French superstar remains unfit for high-level competitive action and will not be risked.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (left thigh), Éder Militão (hamstring), Brahim Díaz (AFCON), and Ferland Mendy (ankle) remain absent, with Antonio Rudiger facing a late fitness test on his knee complaint.
Nonetheless, key personnel including Jude Bellingham, Thibaut Courtois, Álvaro Carreras, and Aurélien Tchouaméni—all rested during the Copa del Rey defeat to Albacete—are expected to return to the starting lineup.
Rodrygo has also been ruled unavailable as he continues recovery from last week’s exertions, with Arbeloa confirming the winger will not feature. There could be a starting opportunity at right-back for Dani Carvajal, with the 34-year-old coming off the bench in midweek. In that case, Federico Valverde will come back into his favoured midfield position.
Levante team news
Levante’s squad remains largely unchanged for this clash, with Roger Brugué (knee), Unai Elgezabal (knee), and Víctor García (hamstring) unavailable.
Midfielder Kervin Arriaga, who has been an undisputed starter in Levante’s midfield, is a late fitness call following a minor leg injury, with Unai Vencedor or newcomer Ugo Raghouber standing by as replacements.
Etta Eyong, recently returning from Africa Cup of Nations duties, is expected to feature in the attacking line after coming on as a substitute in the midweek clash.
Forward Iván Romero, who has contributed four goals and one assist in 13 league appearances this season, will lead the offensive charge alongside the attacking support from the midfield.
Form
Real Madrid
After beginning 2026 with an emphatic 5-1 demolition of Real Betis on January 4, Los Blancos suffered successive setbacks against Barcelona (3-2 in the Super Cup final) and second-division Albacete (3-2 in the Copa del Rey) within 96 hours.
The capital giants have recorded eight wins and one loss in nine home league matches this season, providing some solace heading into Saturday’s encounter.
Despite the recent crisis, Real Madrid remains well-positioned in the title race, sitting second in La Liga with 45 points from 19 matches.
Levante
After beginning their managerial transition under interim coaches, Levante have stabilised considerably following Castro’s arrival.
The Frogs have extended their unbeaten run to three consecutive matches—accumulating one victory, two draws, and creating legitimate scoring opportunities. Most impressively, Levante secured a confident 3-0 home victory over Sevilla last weekend, demonstrating their capacity to compete against established La Liga opposition.
Currently occupying 19th place with 14 points from 18 matches, Levante find themselves four points adrift of 17th-placed Mallorca with a crucial game in hand.
Predicted lineups
Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Asencio, Huijsen, Carreras; Valverde, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Guler, Garcia, Vinicius.
Levante: Ryan; Toljan, De la Fuente, Moreno, Pampin; Martinez, Vencedor; Romero, Alvarez, Losada; Eyong.
How to watch Real Madrid vs Levante?
In the United Kingdom, La Liga TV will broadcast the encounter live.
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