Dani Ceballos puts on a masterclass in Real Madrid’s win against Levante | OneFootball

Real Madrid hammered Levante 4-1 to extend their winning streak to six games in La Liga.

Vinicius Junior’s trivela strike and Franco Mastantuono’s debut goal put Los Blancos in front, while Etta Eyong pulled one back for the hosts.

Kylian Mbappe’s quick brace sealed the game for Xabi Alonso’s side, with the Frenchman scoring his seventh league goal of the season.

Besides the usual suspects, Dani Ceballos played a pivotal role in the victory, putting his hard work behind the scenes.

After being an unused substitute against Espanyol, Ceballos was handed his second start of the season, and he capitalised on the opportunity by producing an incredible performance.

The 29-year-old orchestrated the midfield elegantly, reminiscent of former legends Luka Modric and Toni Kroos.

He completed 89 out of 90 passes, including a game-high 11 passes into the final third, while creating two chances.

Ceballos also guarded the backline like a wall, making five tackles, two interceptions and winning nine out of ten duels.

Having struggled for regular minutes this season, this performance will give the Spaniard a tremendous amount of confidence.

He has also shown Alonso that he can be a key weapon in maintaining possession, dictating the tempo, and breaking the low blocks.

Ceballos’ future seemed to be away from the Spanish capital following Marseille’s attempt to sign him in the summer, but he made a tough decision to continue at Santiago Bernabeu despite the uncertainty over his role.

While he may be down the pecking order in a packed midfield, Ceballos will look to build on this performance and gain Alonso’s trust.

Alvaro Carreras produced an impressive performance as a make-shift centre-back, while Raul Asencio, who has been struggling with game time this season, also shone in the right-back role.