The Atlético de Madrid defeated Levante UD 0-2 this Saturday, October 31 at the Ciutat de València stadium, in the match corresponding to matchday 11 of LaLiga EA Sports 2026-2027. The team coached by Diego Pablo Simeone achieved three fundamental points in their fight for the lead thanks to the goals by Álex Grimaldo, in the 35th minute, and Giuliano Simeone, in the 61st, both after actions in which Álex Baena's participation was decisive.
The red-and-white side came into the match with a streak of six consecutive victories in the championship and with 25 points, just two fewer than FC Barcelona. With the win against Levante, Atlético reaches 28 points and sits provisionally at the top of LaLiga, pending the blue-and-red side's match in this round.
For their part, Levante faced the clash needing points to move away from the relegation places. The team coached by Luís Castro had collected ten points in their first ten matches, with two wins, four draws, and four defeats. Despite the Valencian side's attempts to surprise the visitors, Atlético's attacking efficiency and defensive solidity ended up tipping the match.
Levante–Atlético de Madrid result: Grimaldo and Giuliano give the victory to the red-and-whites
Final result: Levante 0-2 Atlético de Madrid.
The match began with a Levante determined to take advantage of the support of their fans. The home side produced the first dangerous approaches and forced Jan Oblak to intervene against a shot from Dani Requena in the opening minutes. However, Atlético gradually gained prominence thanks to Álex Baena's activity and the ability of their midfielders to find spaces between the lines of the Valencian team. The red-and-whites even managed to score through Morten Hjulmand, but the VAR ruled out the goal for offside.
The first valid goal came in the 35th minute, when Baena slipped a ball into the Levante box and Olasagasti failed to clear it cleanly. Álex Grimaldo took advantage of the action to connect with a powerful left-footed strike that beat Mathew Ryan and made it 0-1. Atlético went into halftime ahead on the scoreboard, after a first half in which they had managed to stop the home side's attacking attempts.
After the restart, Simeone’s team kept control of the match and managed to score again through Hancko, although the action was also disallowed for offside. The second definitive goal came in the 61st minute, when a quick attacking transition ended with another pass into space from Álex Baena, this time for Giuliano Simeone, who beat the Levante goalkeeper and made it 0-2.
The Valencian side tried to narrow the gap during the final stretch, but Atlético maintained its lead until the final whistle. The victory allows the Madrid side to extend its good league run and face a particularly demanding week with confidence, in which they will have to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League and later FC Barcelona.
Confirmed lineups of Levante and Atlético de Madrid
Both coaches went with their respective starting elevens for a decisive match in their different qualification objectives. These were the confirmed starting lineups:
Levante UD: Mathew Ryan; Jeremy Toljan, Aïssa Mandi, Ifeanyi Ndukwe, Nacho Pérez; Dani Requena, Jon Olasagasti, Thiago Fernández; Roger Brugué, Karl Etta Eyong and Iván Romero.
Atlético de Madrid: Jan Oblak; Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, David Hancko, Álex Grimaldo; Giuliano Simeone, Pablo Barrios, Morten Hjulmand, Álex Baena; Kang-in Lee and Julián Álvarez.
The match was officiated by Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea and began at 14:00 hours at the Ciutat de València. The match could be followed on television via Movistar Plus+ LaLiga.
Atlético de Madrid, provisional leader after seven consecutive victories
The victory allows Atlético de Madrid to reach 28 points after eleven rounds and move provisionally ahead of Barcelona, which started the round with 27. The standings could change again when the team coached by Hansi Flick plays its match against Deportivo Alavés.
The result also consolidates one of the team’s best runs in this start to the season. The red-and-whites have strung together seven consecutive wins in the League and maintain their defensive strength, one of the main reasons for their growth over the last few weeks.
For Levante, on the other hand, the defeat means a new setback in its objective of moving away from the bottom zone. The Valencia side remains on ten points and has accumulated only one victory in its last eight league matches, a run that increases the importance of its next matches.