Levante hasn't been an easy place for Real Madrid to go in recent seasons.
Two stoppage time goals somehow earned them a win last season, while a late goal from Alvaro Morata the year before had also handed them three points.
Prior to those two wins, they had been beaten and held to a goalless draw at the Ciutat de Valencia.
It’s not just Real Madrid who have struggled there either; Atletico Madrid’s title hopes were almost undone by a two-goal defeat at Valencia’s second club last season.
On Saturday, however, the result was never in doubt.
Carlo Ancelotti was able to shuffle his pack and Madrid were still able to record a comfortable 5-0 win and extend their winning run to seven games in all competitions.
Back-to-back defeats to Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid have firmly been left in the past.
Some of the Italian's changes were forced; others weren't.
Gareth Bale, who had previously started every league game for Los Blancos, was left on the bench, while Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane weren't risked due to injuries and flu.
Isco was one of the players to come in and really make an impression, while Manchester United loanee Javier Hernandez was able to score his third of the season in Spain’s top flight.
The one constant, as ever, was Cristiano Ronaldo.
His remarkable start to the season continued with another couple of goals, taking him to 15 league goals for the season already.
It is a record for this stage of the season in Spain—just eight games have been played—and it comes with the 29-year-old having missed the trip to Real Sociedad.
With the biggest week of Madrid's season to date now underway, their No. 7's form is going to be vital over the next few days.
First up is a trip to Anfield, where Liverpool await Ancelotti's men in what is sure to be an explosive European night.
Then, of course, comes the Clasico against Barcelona at the Bernabeu next Saturday.
Madrid, who have scored 32 times in their run of seven wins, have every reason to believe they can emerge from a potentially tricky week in a good position both domestically and in Europe.
Saturday's win over Levante demonstrated the depth they have available to them—if it was in question.
It also proved that the players who aren’t playing as much as they would like are certainly not showing any signs of discontent when they are handed the minutes they crave.
It's a shame Isco finds himself down the pecking order because his performance was fantastic and deservedly capped with a goal.
Elsewhere, Nacho Fernandez filled in well alongside Pepe in the middle of defence and young Alvaro Medran picked up some playing time off the bench.
It all meant that the likes of Ramos, Benzema and Varane could focus on recovering for Liverpool and Barca.
As for Bale, it would have been a welcome break considering the minutes he has played for both club and country so far this season.
One man who doesn't take part in these rotations, though, is Ronaldo.
It doesn't matter who his supporting cast is, he will always be on hand to fire Madrid to victory.
Not that they needed a warning, but Liverpool and Barca now know exactly the size of the task they face when they come head-to-head with a Madrid side that has been in unstoppable form since their early season blip.
from Bleacher Report http://ift.tt/1rOk8iA
via IFTTT October 18, 2014 at 09:16AM
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