Levante 0-2 Real Madrid: Player Ratings as Los Blancos Move Back Atop La Liga With Deserved Win

Vinicius scored the only goal of the game.
Vinicius scored the only goal of the game. / Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
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Real Madrid recorded their third La Liga win on the bounce with a 2-0 win over Levante on Sunday afternoon.

Vinicius Junior's first half goal looked like being enough to separate the sides, although the points should have been wrapped up sooner were it not for a few glorious missed opportunities from the Brazilian.

There were some nervy moments for Zinedine Zidane's side after that, but they held and added a second deep in stoppage time to keep their place at the top of the table, and maintain their unbeaten start to the 2020/21 La Liga season.

Here are Real Madrid's player ratings.


Real Madrid Player Ratings

1. Goalkeeper & Defenders

Ramos had a goal chalked off for offside
Ramos had a goal chalked off for offside / Alex Caparros/Getty Images

Thibaut Courtois (GK) - 7/10 - Was called into action far more than he would have liked with a variety of efforts coming his way, but the shots were all dealt with well by the big Belgian.

Nacho (RB) - 6/10 - If you're going to be really picky and choose the poor performer of the game, it'd be Nacho. Not that he did much wrong, just that he wasn't quite as involved or comfortable as the rest.

Raphael Varane (CB) - 7/10 - As cool and calm as you'd expect from the World Cup winner, who kept Morales and Marti in check all afternoon.

Sergio Ramos (CB) - 7/10 - As a pairing, there are few better centre-half duos in European football than Ramos and Varane. They complement each other wonderfully, as plainly witnessed at Estadi Ciutat de València.

Ferland Mendy (LB) - 7/10 - As a successor to Marcelo, Mendy isn't a half bad option. The Frenchman has bags of neat close control like his teammate, is calm in possession and loves bombing forward. Had a solid game.


2. Midfielders

Ran the show
Ran the show / Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

Federico Valverde (CM) - 7/10 - Does. Not. Stop. Pressing. With Modric not able of running like he used to, Valverde does the work for him in midfield with tireless hounding of the ball at every opportunity.

Casemiro (CM) - 6/10 - Got an early yellow card which meant he couldn't be his usual industrious self, but showed a good level of professionalism from that moment on to keep order without overstretching himself.

Luka Modric (CM) - 8/10 - Superb. At 35 years old, Modric is showing that you needn't be a spring chicken to pull the strings. He was superb throughout, had Levante chasing shadows.


3. Forwards

Asensio was lively down the right flank
Asensio was lively down the right flank / David Aliaga/MB Media/Getty Images

Marco Asensio (RW) - 8/10 - An excellent attacking display from the versatile forward, who had Carlos Clerc so twisted he didn't know what day it was. Was subbed off on 70 minutes as Levante began growing into the match.

Karim Benzema (ST) - 7/10 - Rarely do centre-forwards boast as much elegance. Benzema wasn't at his sparkling best on Sunday, but he held the ball up well - as always - and grabbed the game's second goal having been denied by the post earlier in the match

Vinicius Junior (LW) - 7/10 - Grabbed the opening goal and was terrifying the Levante back four with his pace, but should have wrapped the points up with a few good opportunities he missed in the second half.


4. Substitutes

Lucas Vazquez - 6/10

Rodrygo - 5/10

Martin Odegaard - N/A

Isco - N/A