Real Madrid faces Levante in La Liga looking to close the gap on the leader; know where to watch

Real Madrid takes the field this Saturday, January 17, to face Levante at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium, in Madri. The match is valid for the 20th round of the Spanish championship, La Liga, in the 2025-26 season, and represents a clash of extremes in the league table, with the home team chasing the title and the visitors desperately fighting against relegation.

The Merengue club, currently in second place, is looking for a victory to reduce the four-point gap to the leader Barcelona. Qualquer stumble could be crucial in the fierce dispute for leadership. Para o Levante, which occupies 19th position, gaining points away from home against such a powerful opponent is essential to fuel hopes of remaining in the elite of Spanish football.

The ball rolls at 10 am, at Brasília time, and the match promises to move the top and bottom of the competition table. The clash also marks the return of Real Madrid to their stadium after a sequence of games as a visitor, a factor that the team hopes to use in their favor to put pressure on the opponent from the beginning.

Fans who wish to follow the match will have options on both television and streaming. The game will be broadcast exclusively on the Disney group channels on Brasil. Pre-match coverage usually starts minutes before kick-off, with analysis and confirmed team lineups straight from the stadium.

Situation of teams in the championship

Real Madrid reaches the 20th round occupying second place in the La Liga table, with a total of 45 points achieved in 19 games. The campaign of the team led by Álvaro Arbeloa is solid, but the pursuit of Barcelona, who leads with 49 points, requires maximum consistency. The team comes from a positive sequence of four wins in the last five games, demonstrating offensive strength and a defensive system that, despite some absences, has remained firm. Jogar in

On the other hand, the situation for Levante is dramatically opposite. The Valência club is in second-to-last place, with just 14 points, and needs an urgent recovery to escape the relegation zone. The team has won just one of its last five matches, a performance that reflects the difficulties faced throughout the season, especially in the defensive sector. Visitar o Bernabéu is one of the most difficult challenges on the calendar, but the team coached by

Probable lineups and tactics

Coach Álvaro Arbeloa must send Real Madrid onto the field in his traditional 4-3-3 formation. Apesar of the absences, the team relies on high-quality spare parts. The expectation is that the starting team will be formed by: Courtois in goal; a defensive line with Valverde, Asensio, Hysen and Carreras, adapted due to injuries.

The midfield, a vital sector for controlling the game, must count on the strength and quality of Bellingham, Tchouaméni and Camavinga. Este trio combina capacidade de marcação, transição rápida e chegada ao ataque, sendo fundamental para ditar o ritmo da partida e abastecer o setor ofensivo.

In attack, the responsibility for goals lies with the trio made up of García, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. The speed of Vini Jr. on the wing, combined with the finishing and movement ability of Mbappé, the competition’s top scorer, represents the main threat to the Levante’s defensive system.

Levante, under the command of Luis Castro, should adopt a more cautious stance, opting for a 4-2-3-1 formation. The likely lineup includes: M. Ryan; Toljan, Adri, Matoro, Sánchez; Vencedor, Martínez; Tunde, Álvarez, Iongi; and Romero as the main reference in the attack, seeking to exploit the spaces left by the Madrid defense.

Important absences in both teams

Both teams arrive for the clash with significant absences due to injury, which forces coaches to make important adaptations in their planning. No Real Madrid, the list of absences is extensive and mainly affects the defensive system, a sector that requires integration and security.

The capital club will not be able to count on players like Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy and Trent Alexander-Arnold, all key players in the starting defense. Além of them, Brazilian striker Rodrygo is also in the medical department, reducing the speed and dribbling options for the team’s offensive sector.

On the side of Levante, the situation also inspires caution. Coach Luis Castro will not have striker Roger Brugué and defenders Unai Elgezabal and Diego Bamba at his disposal. Essas absences limit tactical options, especially for a team that needs maximum strength to try to score away from home against the second-placed team in the championship.

Where to watch the live stream

Fans at Brasil who want to watch the duel between Real Madrid and Levante will be able to follow the broadcast live and exclusively. The match will be shown on the subscription channel ESPN, which holds the rights to broadcast La Liga for the country. Além from television, the streaming service Disney+ will also broadcast the game online to its subscribers. Coverage often includes pre- and post-match analysis, with expert commentary and reporting directly from Espanha, offering a complete experience for Spanish football fans.

Historical retrospective of the direct confrontation

The history of clashes between Real Madrid and Levante reveals a wide advantage for the team from the capital. Nos In the last 31 meetings between the clubs in various competitions, Real Madrid emerged victorious on 21 occasions, while Levante managed to win six times, with another four games ending in draws. Esses numbers highlight the difficulty that the Valência team traditionally faces when playing against the Whites, especially in the Santiago Bernabéu, where most of the Real Madrid’s victories were built. The average number of goals in matches between them is high, reaching 3.61 per game, which suggests the possibility of a busy score this Saturday. The last meeting ended with a convincing victory for Real Madrid, who are looking to repeat their performance to remain firmly in the fight for the season’s title.

Referee and stadium details

The match will be commanded by referee Miguel Sesma Espinosa. Ele has an average of 4.40 yellow cards and 0.25 red cards per game this season, a profile considered moderate in the disciplinary conduct of matches.

The venue for the clash will be the iconic Santiago Bernabéu stadium, in Madri. Recentemente modernized, the stadium has a capacity for more than 81 thousand spectators and the expectation is for a large audience to support the home team in its quest for victory.