Madrid defeat hands Atleti huge title boost
Real Madrid paid the price for Eder Militao's early red card as Roger Marti recovered from a penalty miss to clinch a 2-1 away win for Levante in LaLiga.
Defending champion Madrid, already without Sergio Ramos and COVID-stricken coach Zinedine Zidane, played with 10 men for 81 minutes and could not hold out, as Roger settled the match after Jose Luis Morales cancelled out Marco Asensio's opener.
Asensio's goal came against the run of play after Militao's mishap, but Madrid still seemed set to claim a point when Thibaut Courtois brilliantly saved Roger's second-half spot-kick.
The inspired goalkeeper was belatedly beaten for a second time, though, as Los Blancos failed to close the seven-point gap to Atletico Madrid, which now have two games in hand and faces Cadiz on Monday (AEDT).
Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman had admitted earlier on Sunday (AEDT) his team "have to be realistic" about its chances of overturning Atletico's considerable lead in the table.
And with Real Madrid slipping up again, it will now take a seismic collapse for Atletico to miss out on repeating its incredible La Liga triumph of 2014.
