Levante 1-3 Real Madrid

Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring with a penalty and also hit the post with an effort

Real Madrid were made to battle for a victory over La Liga's bottom club Levante.

Cristiano Ronaldo gave the visitors the lead with a penalty and it was 2-0 when Borja Mayoral's shot hit the post and went in off keeper Diego Marino.

Levante pulled one back seconds later through Deyverson but Isco sealed the game in injury time for Real.

Zinedine Zidane's third-placed side are nine points behind leaders Barcelona, who have a game in hand.

Earlier on Wednesday, Gary Neville's Valencia beat Malaga 2-1 for a fifth win in six games.

Los Che lost 3-0 to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday and were fearing another defeat when Duje Cop converted a loose ball from 12 yards out.

Valencia levelled through a bizarre own goal as Malaga keeper Carlos Kameni palmed a cross into his own net and Denis Cheryshev - on loan from Real - scored their winner early in the second half.