A struggling Real Madrid salvages a draw against an enraged Bernabéu

BarcelonaReal Madrid wins with a penalty, momentarily closing the gap on Barcelona, but their performance is far from convincing (2-0). The Bernabéu has delivered its verdict after the elimination from the Copa del Rey at the hands of Albacete (3-2)The dismissal of Xabi Alonso, combined with Álvaro Arbeloa's first match – which failed to impress – has provoked a reaction from Real Madrid fans, who have targeted Vinícius, Bellingham, and the new manager with constant whistles every time they touched the ball or appeared on the video screens. In the opening minutes of the match against Levante, the Bernabéu crowd chanted slogans directed at the presidential box and waved white handkerchiefs, calling for the president's resignation. This is not the only act of protest seen recently in Madrid, as several banners against Florentino Pérez have appeared in the city in the last few hours. "Super League, parking, stadium... From failure to failure, a finished president," one of these posters read..

Tension has been building in the days leading up to the game. 24 hours after losing the Spanish Super Cup final against Barça (3-2)The Real Madrid president made the decision to dismiss Xabi Alonso. His replacement, reserve team coach Álvaro Arbeloa, hasn't gotten off to a good start and has already received initial criticism after a Copa del Rey squad selection in which he left players like Bellingham and Mbappé in Madrid. The Real Madrid coach has learned his lesson and went all out against Levante; Fede Valverde returned to right-back and the French striker – despite any possible discomfort – started in attack alongside Vinícius and Gonzalo. Arbeloa specifically appealed to the spirit of the Bernabéu and the fans' support to turn around the team's poor run of form in recent weeks. The response, however, was the opposite, with loud boos directed at the players for the goalless draw at halftime and because, once again, their performance fell far short of expectations.

The tension eases from the penalty spot

The problems continued for the Real Madrid coach. Adding to the team's poor and sluggish play was Tchouaméni's fifth yellow card. This is a significant booking, as it will prevent him from playing next Saturday, the 24th (at 9 pm), against Villarreal, forcing Arbeloa to find an alternative given the limited options in that area of the pitch. Real Madrid increased their intensity and pressure in the second half, but the match was decided, as so many others have been at the Bernabéu, from the penalty spot. Dela brought down Mbappé inside the area, and the Frenchman made no mistake from the spot. This goal eased the tension in the atmosphere and allowed Madrid to play with more composure, eventually finding the 2-0 lead, which Asensio headed in. Quality has once again prevailed on the Bernabéu pitch, but the team has once again disappointed a fanbase tired of enduring decisions that have raised many questions. The start of Arbeloa's tenure at Real Madrid has not gone as anyone expected, but on Tuesday he can look back on past European Cup victories when he returns to the Bernabéu to play against Monaco (9 pm).