Real Madrid v Levante – Preview, Prediction, TV Listings, Betting Odds – La Liga – 12 February 2012
Real Madrid can extend their lead at the top of the table to ten points with a win as they host Levante in the Spanish Primera Division (La Liga). The match will take place at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain on Sunday, February 12, 2012. Kickoff is scheduled for 15:30 EST (USA Eastern), 20:30 GMT (UK time), and 21:30 CET (Central Europe).
Real Madrid v Levante TV Listings
The match will be televised on ESPN Deportes (USA), GolTV (Canada), C+ (Spain/Poland/Sweden/Finland/Norway), Digi Sport (Romania), Sky Sports 1 (UK), Sky Calcio (Italy), Sport TV2 (Portugal), Sport 1 (Hungary/Czech Republic/Slovakia), Sport 5 (Israel), SuperSport (Africa), and Al Jazeera Sport (Middle East).
Real Madrid v Levante Preview
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho
“Our schedule in February is more complicated than our opponents’. We’ll face Levante (who are fourth on the table) and Rayo Vallecano (one of the suprises of the season thanks to the points they’ve taken and the quality football they play). We’ll face Espanyol in March and they’re also having a fantastic run in the championship, fighting to qualify for the Champions League or at least the Europa League next year. This is a series of complicated games.”
“I expect the match to be difficult because Levante pressurise very well and have an excellent counterattack. They deserve credit for defeating us in the first leg and to be where they are on the table. They are currently fourth and deserve to end the season that high up because coach, players and club alike are doing an impressive job. I expect it to be difficult.”
“The team is the only thing that matters and we all have to help out in defence due to the offensive style we have. We have to pressurise and fall back when we lose the ball. Our attackers weren’t used to having to defend, but we’ve been improving on that. Higuain, Benzema and Cristiano are proving this.”
“Nuri Sahin is doing better and will be on the bench again tomorrow. We’ll see if he plays or not; it will depend on the game and my needs.”
“Casillas has passed more than 500 performance enhancing drug tests, just like Rafa Nadal, who is also a friend of mine.”
“You should know the answer to your question about me staying on next season. I’m not feeding those rumours, so you’ll have to ask your sources. You say they are anonymous, but I think they’re imaginary. If your source is indeed anonymous talk to it; if it’s imaginary then simply come up with an answer to your question.”
“I have nothing to do with Eladio Parames’ Twitter account. He works for me, but he’s also independent and entitled to his own opinion. I’m not the one who dictates what he should say. I don’t have social network accounts and I don’t like them; it must be because I’m too old for them. All my Facebook profiles are fake.”
Levante manager Juan Ignacio Martinez
“They have moved on from that and have since won almost everything. We must concentrate because they are able to score a goal from nothing.”
“We will go there looking to break the dynamic that we have had in recent weeks. That aspect will make us more competitive.
“We know that we will play against a team few teams have been able to match this season, but we also know that it is 11 against 11 on the night.”
Team La Liga Stats
| Real Madrid | Levante | |
|---|---|---|
| Matches Played | 21 | 21 |
| Table Position | 1 | 4 |
| Points | 55 | 32 |
| Goal Difference | 52 | 2 |
| Goals for * | 4.1 | 1.0 |
| Goals against * | 1.3 | 1.7 |
| Last 5 | W-W-W-W-W | D-L-D-L-D |
| Last 5 home | W-W-W-L-W | D-L-D-D-W |
| Last 5 away | W-W-W-W-W | L-L-L-L-L |
| * Goals per match – home matches for home club and away matches for away club | ||
| Real Madrid | Levante | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | Cristiano Ronaldo 24 | Arouna Koné 7 |
| Assists | Ángel Di María 13 | Jose Barkero 4 |
| Yellows | Xabi Alonso 6 | Jose Barkero 6 |
| Reds | Pepe 1 | Juanfran 2 |
Upcoming La Liga Fixtures
| Real Madrid | Levante | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2/12 | Levante | 2/12 | @Real Madrid |
| 2/18 | Racing Santander | 2/19 | Rayo Vallecano |
| 2/26 | @Rayo Vallecano | 2/25 | @Espanyol |
| 3/4 | Espanyol | 3/4 | Real Betis |
| 3/11 | @Real Betis | 3/11 | @Málaga |
Real Madrid v Levante Prediction
Real Madrid wins 3-1
Real Madrid v Levante Betting Odds
Real Madrid win – 1/14
Draw – 10/1
Levante win – 25/1
