Real Madrid assistant coach Aitor Karanka on Tuesday praised unfashionable Levante, with the Valencia club currently top of La Liga and unbeaten after eight games.
"Right now Levante are the strongest team in the league," said Karanka, who was speaking instead of coach Jose Mourinho on the eve of the capital club's home meeting with Villarreal.
"We are not one or two games into the season, but eight. When you think they might slip up, they win convincingly. They deserve praise for their attitude."
Madrid are second with 19 points, a point ahead of Barcelona, but one behind Levante, who beat them 1-0 when the teams met in Valencia last month.
Levante replaced Mourinho's men at the summit after romping to a 3-0 win away to Villarreal on Sunday night.
Villarreal travel to the Bernabeu having won just one of their opening eight league games, but Karanka remains wary of the threat posed by a team who finished fourth last season to qualify for the Champions League.
"When we look at Villarreal, we don't see the team that is having so many problems just now, but rather the side that caused us so many problems last season," said Karanka.
"They are a much better team than their league position suggests."
Source: AFP
