Veteran Italian forward Giampaolo Pazzini came off the bench to net a dramatic late equaliser as relegation-battlers Levante held Real Madrid to a 2-2 draw.
Fit-again captain Sergio Ramos headed the visitors into an early lead, but Emmanuel Boateng levelled just before half-time.
Levante keeper Olazabal Oier pulled off a brilliant save to deny Ramos a second before substitute Isco eventually made it 2-1 in the 81st minute.
Pazzini, though, had the final say when he slotted past Keylor Navas with just a minute left.
? FT: @LevanteUD 2-2 #RealMadrid (Boateng 42′, Pazzini 89′; @SergioRamos 11′, @isco_alarcon 81′).#RMLiga | #Emirates pic.twitter.com/yz5HRReFU2
— Real Madrid C.F.?? (@realmadriden) February 3, 2018
Tweet of the match
When you score a last-minute equaliser against Real Madrid on your debut… WHAT A DEBUT, PAZZINI! ✌#LevanteRealMadrid pic.twitter.com/GQkd1SbB7N
— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) February 3, 2018
Star man – Karim Benzema
Moment of the match
FINAL | #LevanteUD 2-2 @realmadrid #LevanteRealMadrid pic.twitter.com/1TuFTezSVp
— Levante UD (@LevanteUD) February 3, 2018
Veteran Italian forward Pazzini had not been on the pitch long when he found himself with a chance to grab the headlines with just a minute left. The former Azurri frontman, on loan from Hellas Verona, used all of his experience to get between the static Real Madrid defenders and slot a low shot past Navas, which went in off the goalkeeper’s hand. It is just the kind of luck which could help Levante stay up.
Stat Attack
.@SergioRamos has scored in 14 consecutive #LaLiga seasons! ?
04/05?⚽⚽05/06?⚽⚽⚽⚽06/07?⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽07/08?⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽08/09?⚽⚽⚽⚽09/10?⚽⚽⚽⚽10/11?⚽⚽⚽11/12?⚽⚽⚽12/13?⚽⚽⚽⚽13/14?⚽⚽⚽⚽14/15?⚽⚽⚽⚽15/16?⚽⚽16/17?⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽⚽17/18?⚽ pic.twitter.com/2GAWK5zDw1
— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) February 3, 2018
Ramos’ early goal saw the Madrid skipper become the only defender to score in 14 consecutive La Liga seasons.
Ratings
Captain @SergioRamos is back in the Real Madrid starting XI! ?#LevanteRealMadrid pic.twitter.com/4X5fpelBmj
— LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) February 3, 2018
Levante: Olazabal Oier 7 (out of 10), Andujar Coke 7, Roberto Suarez 7, Sergio Postigo 7, Antonio Luna 7, Jose Morales 8, Jefferson Lerma 7, Sasa Lukic 7, Cheick Doukoure 7, Ivan Ivi 7, Emmanuel Boateng 7.
Subs: David Jason (for Boateng, 60) 6, Marti Roger (for Lerma, 68) 6, Giampaolo Pazzini (for Ivi, 77) 7.
Real Madrid: Keylor Navas 7 (out of 10), Dani Carvajal 6, Raphael Varane 6, Sergio Ramos 7, Marcelo 6, Luka Modric 7, Carlos Casemiro 6, Toni Kroos 6, Gareth Bale 6, Karim Benzema 8, Cristiano Ronaldo 6.
Subs: Isco (for Bale, 65) 6, Marco Asensio (for Ronaldo, 82) 6.
Who’s up next?
Valencia v Levante (LaLiga, February 11)
Real Madrid v Real Sociedad (LaLiga, February 10)
