Levante UD welcomes the unbeaten league leaders Real Madrid to the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia on Tuesday evening with renewed confidence. After an impressive 4-0 win against Girona at Montilivi, their first victory of the season, the 16th-placed team comes into this game with momentum. Rising star Etta Eyong in particular continues his impressive run: The 21-year-old Cameroonian has already scored three goals and provided three assists in five games, showing why Levante fought so hard to sign him.
The Royals, on the other hand, sit comfortably at the top of the table with 15 points from five games, while coach Julián Calero is set for an emotional reunion. The 54-year-old worked in Real Madrid’s youth academy for almost two decades and even had Dani Carvajal under his wing. His counterpart, Xabi Alonso, is leading the Madrid side through the season with clockwork precision: five wins in five league games and only one defeat in twelve games as Madrid coach.
The historical record clearly underlines the current balance of power. In their last meeting in May 2022, Real Madrid won 6-0, a veritable goal fest for Los Blancos. Although the overall record of the last five encounters since 2020 is balanced, with two wins and one draw each, the current form curves leave little doubt about the visitors’ status as favorites.
- Venue: Estadio Ciudad de Valencia, Valencia
- Date and time: 09/23/2025, 9:30 p.m.
- Competition: Primera División (Matchday 6)
Levante form & record check
Levante UD is currently going through a phase with two sides to it. After four consecutive league defeats, last Friday saw a liberating 4-0 away win at Girona, the first three points of the season. With four points and a balanced goal difference, Julián Calero’s team is in 16th place in the table, just one point behind Celta Vigo and one ahead of FC Oviedo.
The triumph at Montilivi was a prime example of how to exploit numerical superiority. Girona saw Witsel receive a red card in the 30th minute, followed by a second sending-off shortly after the break. Etta Eyong opened the scoring with his third goal of the season shortly before half-time, and Carlos Álvarez scored his first first division goal from a free kick.
The statistics from the last five games reveal interesting patterns: in all games, at least two goals were scored, and in most cases even more than 2.5 goals. Levante conceded goals in four of the five games, but also scored regularly themselves. This offensive approach could prove to be the key to the upcoming tasks. Etta Eyong is developing into a real source of hope, with his presence in the penalty area and heading ability bringing a new dimension to Levante’s attacking play. Carlos Álvarez is also showing his class and creativity in midfield again after overcoming pubalgia.
Julián Calero is likely to stick with his tried-and-tested 4-4-2 formation, which served the team so well in their first win of the season in Girona. With Alan Matturro still out of action due to his thigh injury, the central defense will probably consist of Elgezabal and Moreno again.
In midfield, Carlos Álvarez could start again after his dream free kick goal against Girona. The offense will be particularly interesting: Etta Eyong has made an impressive start with three goals and three assists in five games and is likely to be in the starting lineup. He could be joined by Iván Romero, who also scored at Montilivi.
Real Form & Record Check
Real Madrid sit unchallenged at the top of LaLiga with a perfect 15 points from five games. The Blancos have not dropped a single point since the start of the season, underlining the authority that Xabi Alonso has already established in his first few months as head coach.
The team’s offensive power is particularly noteworthy. Real Madrid has scored in each of its last five games, usually by halftime. The statistics speak for themselves: 80% of the games were already decided at halftime, and not a single game ended with less than two goals. Mbappé is proving to be the decisive factor in the offense. With seven goals in six games, he already tops the scoring charts and has quickly established himself as the new crowd favorite. His accuracy, coupled with the precision of Güler and Valverde in playmaking, adds a new dimension to the Madrid attack.
The recent 2-1 win against Espanyol was symptomatic of their current form. Militao opened the scoring with a long-range shot, and Mbappé sealed the game shortly after the break. Such performances are becoming routine under Alonso, who has already left his mark tactically. The transition between phases of play is smooth, and the defense is compact. Interestingly, Real Madrid has achieved this consistency without shining spectacularly. Efficiency is the priority, not showmanship, a mentality that could prove to be a decisive advantage as the season enters its most intense phase.
Real Madrid are likely to start the opening week of the Champions League with a 4-4-2 formation, which Xabi Alonso has favored in previous games this season. The squad is not quite complete: Rüdiger is still out with a thigh injury, as are Mendy with thigh problems and Alexander-Arnold with a muscle injury.
The return of Bellingham, on the other hand, is the big news of the week. The Englishman has recovered from his shoulder problem a month earlier than expected and could return to the starting lineup for the first time. His recovery is being celebrated almost like a new signing and should open up new tactical options for Alonso in the center, possibly at the expense of Güler.
In defense, Asencio will likely form the central defense alongside Militão, while the full-back positions could go to Carvajal and Carreras. Tchouaméni and Valverde are set to start in midfield, with Bellingham’s return likely to provide additional quality. Up front, Mbappé remains a fixture, having already scored seven goals in six games.
H2H Levante – Real Head-to-head comparison & statistics
The head-to-head matches between Levante and Real Madrid show a completely even picture in the last five encounters. Both teams have recorded two wins each, with one draw. However, the last meeting in 2022 ended in a clear 6-0 victory for Real Madrid. It was a veritable goal fest for Los Blancos, who literally rolled over Levante, and the only time in these five encounters that one team had no chance at all.
Before that, the series was much more evenly balanced. The spectacular 3-3 draw in August 2021 showed both teams at their offensive best. Levante even managed to win twice in Madrid, 2-1 in January 2021 and 1-0 in February 2020. These successes prove that the Valencians were certainly capable of causing Real Madrid problems.
There is a clear pattern in terms of goals: 80% of the encounters ended with more than 1.5 goals, which suggests entertaining duels. It is also striking that Real Madrid had already scored by halftime in four of the five games, while Levante often only became dangerous after the break.
The tip for a Real Madrid win is based on the Whites’ flawless record of five wins from five games and Mbappé’s accuracy in front of goal, which stands in stark contrast to Levante’s defensive problems. The Valencians have conceded goals in four of their last five games and have shown their limitations, especially against top-class opponents such as Barcelona. The fact that Madrid have scored before halftime in all of their games so far and have a reliable backup in Courtois underlines the difference in quality between the two teams.
The tip for over 3.5 goals is based on the explosive mix of both teams’ playing styles: Levante’s spectacular 4-0 win in Girona demonstrated the offensive potential of Etta Eyong and Iván Romero, while Madrid scores at least two goals every week. 80% of both teams’ games have already exceeded the 2.5-goal mark, and Levante’s open style of play should provide Mbappé, Valverde and Co. with plenty of space for counterattacks. Betting on Etta Eyong to score may seem riskier, but the 21-year-old Cameroonian, with three goals and three assists in five games, faces a weakened Madrid side without Rüdiger and Mendy. His dynamism and goal threat on the left flank, where Madrid will have to improvise, make him an interesting option for more daring bettors.
