Ordinarily this game would be nothing more than a stepping stone to El Clásico next week for Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid side, as they prepare to host Levante at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday night. However, after a poor run of results by their lofty standards, tension is rife.

"Whoever says I am too soft angers me"

- Carlo Ancelotti

A patchy run of form has seen Madrid drop to second in La Liga, a point behind rivals Barcelona, but it is arguably the 4-3 defeat to Schalke 04 in the Champions League midweek that has the fans worried and Ancelotti coming under scrutiny - perhaps about his relaxed nature towards the Madrid players. "Someone calls it friendship, but I simply call it respect, although I like to laugh and joke with them," he said. "The intelligent people know when it’s time to get serious. Whoever says I am too soft angers me, because it is not true.”

It is definitely time for Madrid to get serious. Despite still qualifying on the back of their defeat in the Champions League, things are edgy and Los Blancos do not want to give up further ground in La Liga, where defeat to Athletic Bilbao and a draw with Villarreal has left them reeling. Three points in a home game against a struggling Levante side might just be the boost Madrid need before the hugely important game next weekend.

"The potential of Madrid is always high"

- Lucas Alcaraz

Despite all the talk surrounding Madrid's minor crisis, Levante boss Lucas Alcaraz has played down the suggestion that his side could cause an upset on Sunday night, remembering full well that Ancelotti's players have more than enough in their locker on any given day. "The players have to play as a team, being able to have order when we have the ball and not suffer losses," he said. Continuing, he noted that "the potential of Madrid is always high." Perhaps an understatement if ever we heard one.

A 2-1 victory over SD Eibar has, for the moment, lifted Levante out of relegation trouble, but Alcaraz and his players know that they face an uphill struggle to face survival, and that the result means nothing in the context of Sunday night. "Clearly we won the last game, but there is a vast difference between the potential of Madrid and ours," he said. One would expect Madrid to bounce back from recent disappointments and outclass their opposition on the night, but Levante fans will hope that Madrid's miserable form continutes.