Atletico Madrid have joined Real Madrid on 27 points in La Liga courtesy of a 5-0 win at Levante on Saturday night.
Real Madrid had moved three points clear of their rivals earlier in the day, but third-placed Atletico are now ahead on goal difference following a five-goal victory at the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia.
Read how it all unfolded in Sports Mole's minute-by-minute live commentary of the action below.
6.46pmEvening all! Sports Mole's live La Liga commentary continues from Valencia as Levante welcome Atletico Madrid. The home side have collected 15 points from their 12 league fixtures this season to sit 13th at this stage of the season, while Atletico remain fourth after their goalless draw with Real Madrid last weekend. Stay tuned for live minute-by-minute updates of the action!
6.49pmLevante actually ran out 2-1 winners when the two teams last met in this stadium (May 2016). Meanwhile, Atletico have not won an away league match against Levante since October 2007. The capital giants have found the Ciutat de Valencia to be a tough hunting ground in recent years.
6.52pmRight, without further ado, let me bring you up-to-speed with the all-important team news from Valencia. Levante have had a free week to prepare for this match, but Atletico were in Champions League action against Roma on Wednesday night. Any changes from Diego Simeone? Let's have a look...
6.55pmTEAMS!
LEVANTE: Oier; Moore, Chema, Pier, Tono; Campana, Doukoure; Jason, Bardhi, Morales; Unal
ATLETICO: Oblak; Thomas, Savic, Godin, Luis; Saul, Gabi, Koke, Correa; Griezmann, Gameiro
6.58pm
👟🌱¡Primera toma de contacto con el césped del Ciutat de Valencia!
— Atlético de Madrid (@Atleti) November 25, 2017
🔜 ¡Enseguida saltaremos a campo a jugar!#LevanteAtleti #AúpaAtleti pic.twitter.com/2q9X0BGMYt
7.02pmLevante boss Juan Muniz has made just the one change from the team that beat Las Palmas 2-0 last weekend, and it comes in defence as Rober Pier replaces Sergio Postigo. On-loan Villarreal forward Enes Unal will again lead the line for the hosts with support from Enis Bradhi.
7.05pmAtletico's team, meanwhile, shows five changes from the one that started against Roma in the Champions League. Diego Godin and Stefan Savic return at centre-back, while Gabi, Angel Correa and Kevin Gameiro take the places of Augusto Fernandez, Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and Fernando Torres.
7.08pmSo there we have it. The two teams are in, and we are now just about 40 minutes from kickoff in Valencia. I shall speak about the home side a little bit later, but let's start with Atletico. Simeone's side will enter the match off the back of a 2-0 win over Roma in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
7.12pm
5 - Diego Simeone has taken charge of five La Liga games without a win at Ciutat de Valencia, at no ground has he managed more without a win (level with Camp Nou). Challenge. pic.twitter.com/OeemDKxGhh
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 25, 2017
7.15pmThe victory over Roma was massive for Atletico when considering that it kept their Champions League knockout-round hopes alive. The Madrid side are still third in Group C, but sit just two points off second-placed Roma, and will visit Chelsea next month looking to sneak through the back door.
7.18pmIn terms of the league, Atletico are still unbeaten this season having won six and drawn six of their 12 matches. That run of form has brought them 24 points, and left them three points off third-placed Real Madrid, and 10 points behind the league leaders Barcelona, who travel to Valencia tomorrow night. They have only scored 16 goals in their 12 fixtures thus far, but have conceded just six times.
7.22pmSimeone's side have actually drawn four of their last six La Liga matches – including a 0-0 at home to Real Madrid last weekend. In truth, it was a very uneventful Madrid derby, and neither team did enough to deserve all the points. Real Madrid beat Malaga 3-2 this afternoon to move three points clear of their rivals, but Atletico will have the chance to join them on 27 points here.
7.25pm
HISTORY 📊 We've played @LevanteUD 28 times with a balance of 15 wins, five draws and eight losses. #AúpaAtleti #LevanteAtleti pic.twitter.com/e4MuQySiMm
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) November 25, 2017
7.28pmAtletico will fancy their chances of ending 2017 in a positive fashion as they face Real Sociedad, Real Betis, Alaves and Espanyol in their four matches after this one, before the winter break kicks in. A title challenge seems extremely unlikely due to Barcelona's incredible form, but Simeone's side have Real Madrid in their sights. Kickoff in Valencia is little over 15 minutes away now!
7.32pmAs for Levante, Juan Muniz's side returned to La Liga this season after winning the Segunda Division last term. They have made a solid start to the 2017-18 campaign – collecting 15 points from 12 matches to sit 13th. They have only won three times in the league, but have lost just three, which is an impressive record at this stage of the season. Can they pick up another strong result tonight?
7.35pmMuniz's team will enter the match off the back of an impressive 2-0 win at Las Palmas last weekend, which saw them bounce back from a 2-1 defeat at home to Girona earlier this month. There are not many points between 13th position and seventh - just three in fact - and a win for the home side tonight would move them into the top half of the table.
7.38pm
18 - Atletico are unbeaten in their last 18 away games in La Liga (W10 D8), their best ever run in the competition. Union. pic.twitter.com/Vm5e983hS7
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 25, 2017
7.42pmLevante actually finished sixth in La Liga during the 2011-12 campaign, before posting 11th, 10th and 14th in their next three seasons. They then dropped out of the top flight after finishing 20th at the end of the 2015-16 season, before winning the Segunda to return to La Liga. Right, the time for talking is almost over. It is Levante against Atletico in Valencia, and kickoff is next!
0 minKICKOFF! Levante kick things off on home soil...
2 min... it must be said that there is a brilliant atmosphere inside the stadium tonight. Not quite a full house, but the Levante supporters are in good voice, and their team is having a lot of the ball early on.
4 minLevante do well to defend a corner from Koke, which landed right under the crossbar. Correa then looks to deliver from a wide position, but Oier is on hand to claim under pressure from Gameiro.
5 minGOAL! Levante 0-1 Atletico (Rober OG)
6 minAtletico make the breakthrough in the fifth minute as Gameiro drives down the right before looking to pick out Correa, but it is actually Rober that turns into his own net! Disaster moment!
8 minIn fairness to Levante, they are not just sitting deep here, with the hosts committing plenty of players in the final third of the field. They do need to be careful, however, because a second goal at this stage could be a killer. Atletico hardly concede one goal a game let alone two or three.
10 minLevante continue to offer a threat in the final third of the field, but they are struggling to test Oblak.
12 minBardhi sends a free kick into the Atletico wall as Levante pass up the chance to test Oblak from distance. The home side's supporters are doing their best to create a good atmosphere, but some of the early noise has died down. There is a good tempo to the match, which is now 12 minutes old.
14 minMorales is the player making things happen for Levante, with the number 11 drifting inside in a bid to become involved. We have not seen too much goalmouth action since Atletico took the lead, but you do get the feeling that both teams will have chances as the play develops in Valencia.
16 minSuper defending from Chema as the Levante centre-back comes across to challenge Gameiro, who had threatened to race clear into the home side's box. Strong defensive work from Chema there.
18 minA win for Atletico tonight would move them level on points with third-placed Real Madrid, and to within three points of second-placed Valencia. It is going to be difficult for Atletico to win the league this season, but they are still unbeaten, and will have second spot in their sights.
19 minCHANCE! Super chance for Levante as Jason finds space inside the Atletico box, but the number 23 bounces his effort wide of the post. Should have done better from that area!
20 minHalf-chance for Morales this time as the number 11 works the ball onto his favourite foot just outside the Atletico box, but his effort was always too high. Better from Levante in the last few minutes.
22 minSAVE! Super chance for Atletico as Griezmann plays a lovely pass into Gameiro, but the Frenchman cannot find a route past Oier, who makes a really smart save. Saul then collects on the edge of the box, and fires wide of the post. The pass from Griezmann was world-class.
24 minYou do get the feeling that Levante need to score the next goal in this match if they are to stand a chance of picking up a positive result. A second for Atletico would spell disaster for the hosts here.
26 minMoore breaks down the right for Levante before feeding Jason, but Atletico manage to scramble clear. Still 1-0 to the visitors with 26 minutes on the clock. The first half is flying past here!
29 minGOAL! Levante 0-2 Atletico (Gameiro)
30 minOh my word! It is another bizarre goal! Correa rounds Oier before attempting to play the ball into an empty net, Chema is back to stop it, but he places it straight back into the box, where Gameiro is on hand to tap home. It is another horror moment for Levante, who are two goals behind here.
32 minLevante have been decent in the final third of the field, but mistakes from their two centre-backs have really cost them. Atletico have not had to do too much to take a 2-0 lead in this match.
34 minCHANCE! Super chance for the home side as Unal meets a cross from the left, but the number 12's header just drops wide of the far post. That is a big moment in this match.
36 minGriezmann has had his problems in the league in recent weeks, but the Frenchman has been absolutely brilliant tonight. Levante just cannot seem to get near the attacker at the moment.
38 minThomas and Doukoure both have their handbags out as they clash in the Atletico box, but the referee is on hand to calm things, and Atletico eventually clear their lines from the resulting corner. Little over five minutes of the first period remaining here, and the away side hold a 2-0 lead.
38 minOier has to drop low to keep out a long-range strike from Correa.
41 minNot too much of an atmosphere at the moment, and that is credit to Atletico, who have been very professional in this first period. That said, the visitors have been helped by two big defensive errors.
41 minSAVE! Oier makes another save to keep out Gameiro after the striker had been released by Thomas inside the Levante box. Atletico could have had three or four in the first period.
43 minBardhi again has the chance to deliver a free kick from a wide position, but Savic makes the clearance. Atletico are so well organised from these set pieces. It is so excellent to see.
45 minLevante have another free kick in a dangerous area - this time more central - as Correa brings Campana to the deck. This would be a very good time to hit back...
45 min... Bardhi's effort was always rising over the Atletico crossbar. It remains 2-0 here.
45+1 minHALF-TIME: Levante 0-2 Atletico
8.31pmSo there we have it. The referee brings the first period to a close with Atletico leading Levante 2-0 courtesy of an own goal from Rober and close-range finish from Gameiro. Two defensive errors have seen the visitors take a two-goal lead as they look to move level on points with Real Madrid.
8.36pmSTATISTICS! Atletico shaded the first-half possession with 52%, while they had eight attempts - six of which were on target. Levante, meanwhile, failed to hit the target with any of their seven attempts. No yellow cards to report in the first 45 minutes - it has not been that type of match.
8.41pmBENCH WATCH! Carrasco, Fernandez, Torres and Vietto are all on the Atletico bench tonight, and at least two of those are expected to feature in the second period. As for Levante, Samuel, Ivi and Nano are among those available to head coach Muniz, who has a tough team talk to give.
46 minRESTART! Atletico resume the action here...
47 min... no changes from either side at the break, which is not too much of a surprise. However, I suspect that both managers will have alterations in mind as the second period develops in Valencia.
49 minBit of pressure from Levante in the early stages of the second period, and they will need a lot more of that if they are to turn this game around. Atletico are so dangerous on the counter, however, with Correa, Griezmann and Gameiro all full of pace. Surely there will be more goals in the second period.
51 minNot an awful lot to report in terms of goal-mouth action at the moment, but Atletico are playing some super stuff in the final third as they continue to move the ball from left to right here.
52 minBOOKING! Chema (Levante) is booked for a poor tackle on Gameiro.
53 minLEVANTE SUB! Ivi replaces Jason for the home side.
54 minBOOKING! Morales (Levante) is booked for a foul on Correa.
56 minNot an awful lot to report in terms of attacking moments in the early stages of the second period. Unal has just had a strike from distance, but it was always a comfortable save for Oblak.
58 minCHANCE! Much better chance for Unal this time as the striker is fed by Morales, but his effort is just wide of the far post. Levante really need a goal back as soon as possible here!
59 minGOAL! Levante 0-3 Atletico (Gameiro)
60 minAtletico have their third of the match just before the hour as Griezmann plays a sensational pass into Gameiro, who takes one touch before poking the ball into the far corner of the net!
62 minGameiro breaks into the Levante box before looking to pick out Gabi, which he does, but the midfielder's effort is blocked. Atletico are preparing to make their first change of the match.
64 minCarrasco still waits as Levante enjoy some possession in Atletico's half of the field here.
65 minGOAL! Levante 0-4 Atletico (Griezmann)
66 minIt is four for Atletico as Griezmann converts a Gameiro cross at the far post. Both have been brilliant tonight, and Griezmann is now on the scoresheet as Atletico take a 4-0 lead!
67 minATLETICO SUB! Carrasco replaces Correa for the away side.
68 minGOAL! Levante 0-5 Atletico (Griezmann)
69 minGriezmann scores his second of the night as the Frenchman taps home after Oier had kept out a strike from Gameiro! Atletico have gone absolutely goal crazy tonight!
69 minATLETICO SUB! Torres replaces Gameiro for the away side.
70 minLEVANTE SUB! Nano has replaced Campana for the home side.
72 minAtletico are looking for more goals as we head for the final 15 minutes of action here.
74 minATLETICO SUB! Fernandez replaces Saul for the away side.
76 minLevante are preparing to make their final change of the match with little under 15 minutes remaining. The home side just have not been at it tonight. It has been an uphill struggle.
77 minCHANCE! Griezmann finds Torres in a dangerous position, but the striker sweeps his effort wide of the post. It could yet get worse for Levante in the final 10 minutes.
77 minLEVANTE SUB! Samuel replaces Morales for the home side.
79 minSavic is across to clear as Levante enjoy a little bit of possession in the final third of the field. Bardhi then looks to curl one from distance, but his effort was always too high.
80 minSAVE! Oier does well to keep out a strike from Torres!
82 minQuite a bitty game at the moment as Levante enjoy a lot of possession without really threatening to find the back of the net. They will be keen to forget about this match as soon as possible.
84 minNot too much to report here as both teams enjoy periods of possession.
86 minAs it stands, Atletico are moving above their rivals Real Madrid on goal difference. They are also moving to within three points of second-placed Valencia, who host Barcelona tomorrow night.
88 minCLOSE! Levante sub Nano just misses the far post with a low strike!
90 minGodin breaks forward and almost begs for the ball to be crossed, but Carrasco cuts back as Levante get players behind the ball. I should not think there will be too much added time here.
90+1 minWe are into the first of two additional minutes at the end of the 90 here.
90+3 minBOOKING! Koke (Atletico) is booked for a foul on Tono.
90+3 minFULL-TIME: Levante 0-5 Atletico
9.32pmSo there we have it. The referee brings the second period to a close with Atletico beating Levante 5-0 during a very impressive performance. Thanks for joining Sports Mole once again, and be sure to check back in tomorrow for more live coverage across Europe! Until next time!
