Levante vs. Real Madrid: Odds, Live Stream, TV Schedule and Preview

Real Madrid's game away to mid-table Levante is more than a mere warm-up for Wednesday's meeting with Manchester City in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League last 16.

Los Blancos have questions to answer about their own domestic title challenge after dropping two points at home to struggling Celta Vigo on Sunday.

The result means Real are just a point ahead of rivals Barcelona at the top of the table, making this a bad time to face a Levante side Los Merengues have beaten just twice in their last five meetings.

Barca will go top if they beat Eibar at home earlier on Saturday, increasing the pressure on Zinedine Zidane's side to respond. It won't be easy, though, with doubts about the fitness of forward Gareth Bale.

He struggled against Celta, but Eden Hazard made a spectacular return from injury. There are plenty of options to replace Bale, including Isco and James Rodriguez, so Real should have enough firepower to punish a shaky Levante defence, even if Zidane rotates his personnel with City in mind.

Date: Saturday, February 22

Time: 8 p.m. GMT/3 p.m. ET

TV Info: LaLiga TV (Premier Sports), beIN Sports

Live Stream: PremierPlayer.tv, beIN Sports Connect.

Odds

• Levante: +500 (bet $100 to win $500)
• Real Madrid: -205 (bet $205 to win $100)
• Draw: +375

Odds per Caesars Palace.

Bale was dispatched from training while suffering a bout of gastroenteritis, with Real fearful of the illness spreading, per Jordan Morris and Paul Clarke of the Manchester Evening News.

Striker Luka Jovic was also sent home, according to the report. Like Bale, the 22-year-old has struggled for form this season, with both players combining for a meagre four goals in the Spanish top flight.

Yet Jovic and Bale being 100 per cent would have afforded Zidane the option of resting key attackers. Specifically, he could have offered a breather to prolific No. 9 Karim Benzema by starting the Serbia international ahead of him, while Hazard would have welcomed a rest having only recently returned from a three-month injury absence.

Fortunately for Real, the Belgium international showed no signs of rust against Celta:

He should run riot against a Levante defence breached 36 times during 24 league games this season. It's the fourth-most goals conceded in the division and good news for Hazard and Benzema, provided the pair get the right support.

Isco has impressed when given his chances, scoring in the 4-1 win away to Osasuna on February 9. Even so, James is a mercurial talent who can turn on the style against anybody.

Zidane hasn't picked the natural No. 10 in the league since a 1-0 defeat away to Real Mallorca in October. However, now could be the perfect time to bring the Colombia international back into the fold.

Levante will struggle to keep pace regardless of who Zidane picks, but 10-goal striker Roger Marti may fancy his chances against Real's defence. Left-back Marcelo remains vulnerable, while 33-year-old skipper Sergio Ramos is beginning to slow down.

Marti will be helped by strike partner Borja Mayoral, who is eligible despite being on loan from Real. He's hit five goals during his successful sojourn in Valencia.

With Borja and Marti up front, Levante will have belief, particularly after recent results against Real. They won 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in October 2018 and were narrowly beaten 3-2 in the Spanish capital in September last year.

Real won 2-1 at the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia a year ago, though, and Zidane will feel confident his team can repeat the trick if Hazard and Benzema are on song.