Football: Morales blasts down Real Madrid as Hazard limps off injured

Real Madrid's Eden Hazard in action with Levante's Jorge Miramon during the La Liga football match in Valencia, on Feb 22, 2020. PHOTO: REUTERS

VALENCIA (REUTERS) - Real Madrid fell to a 1-0 defeat at Levante on Saturday (Feb 22), dropping off the top of the La Liga standings, and their problems deepened as Eden Hazard limped off the pitch four days before their Champions League showdown with Manchester City.

Levante forward Jose Luis Morales won the game with an unstoppable strike in the 79th minute, flummoxing Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois by blasting a first-time shot inside the near post from a tight angle.

Real's first defeat in the league since October saw them fall to second place on 53 points after 25 games. Champions Barcelona replaced them at the top of the table on 55 after hammering Eibar 5-0 earlier on.

Real's best chance fell to Hazard, who failed to properly connect with the ball, and a few minutes later he left the pitch looking in pain, in only his second game back from an ankle injury that ruled out him of action for almost three months.

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