Levante captain Jose Luis Morales was substituted immediately after scoring just his second goal of the season
Real Madrid spurned the chance to go back above Barcelona at the top of La Liga as mid-table Levante inflicted their first league loss since October.
Barca, who visit Real next Sunday, went two points clear with a 5-0 win over Eibar earlier in the day.
But Real responded with a lacklustre display before Wednesday's Champions League game with Manchester City.
The visitors missed a host of chances before Jose Luis Morales claimed a late winner with a superb volley.
Eden Hazard missed Real's best chance midway through the second half before the Belgian forward hobbled off injured.
The Spanish giants were then stunned as Nikola Vukcevic played a speculative ball over their defence and winger Morales raced on to it before unleashing a first-time strike from the left side of the Real box.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois actually pulled his hands away from the ball as Morales' shot flashed past the Belgian at his near post.
Eden Hazard went off injured for Real Madrid on 67 minutes
The long-serving Levante captain, 32, was then substituted immediately after scoring just his second goal of the season and his team-mates survived some late pressure by Real to earn just their second win in seven league games.
Gareth Bale and fellow forward Luka Jovic were absent through illness, with Isco and Luka Modric the two changes for Real after last week's draw at Celta Vigo.
Isco and Karim Benzema were denied as Levante goalkeeper Aitor Fernandez made a double save early on before Casemiro headed wide after a poor punch clear by Fernandez.
Enis Bardhi tested Courtois as Real lost control of the game in the second half, before Morales broke the deadlock.
And the closest Real went to salvaging a point before Wednesday's last-16 first leg (20:00 GMT) was when Sergio Ramos' header was saved in stoppage time.
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Line-ups
Match Stats
Live Text
Line-ups
Levante
13Fernández
20Miramón
15Postigo
18González
3García Aranda
11MoralesSubstituted forMartínezat 81'minutes
17Vukcevic
24Campaña
10Bardhi
9MartíBooked at 35minsSubstituted forMeleroat 67'minutes
21MayoralSubstituted forLeónat 88'minutes
Substitutes
1Ruiz Ojeda
6Duarte
7León
19Clerc
22Melero
23Andújar Moreno
36Martínez
Real Madrid
13Courtois
2Carvajal
5Varane
4RamosBooked at 10mins
12Marcelo
10ModricSubstituted forValverdeat 81'minutes
14CasemiroBooked at 71mins
8Kroos
22IscoSubstituted forVázquezat 73'minutes
9Benzema
7E HazardSubstituted forVinícius Júniorat 67'minutes
Substitutes
1Areola
3Militão
15Valverde
16Rodríguez
17Vázquez
23Mendy
25Vinícius Júnior
Referee:
Alejandro José Hernández Hernández
Attendance:
23,566
Match Stats
Home TeamLevanteAway TeamReal Madrid
Possession
Home37%
Away63%
Shots
Home8
Away19
Shots on Target
Home2
Away7
Corners
Home3
Away7
Fouls
Home16
Away10
Live Text
Posted at
Match ends, Levante 1, Real Madrid 0.
Full TimePosted at 90'+5'
Second Half ends, Levante 1, Real Madrid 0.
Posted at 90'+4'
Attempt saved. Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Marcelo with a cross.
Posted at 90'+3'
Raphael Varane (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 90'+3'
Foul by Gonzalo Melero (Levante).
Posted at 90'+2'
Foul by Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid).
Posted at 90'+2'
Bruno González (Levante) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 90'
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Sergio Postigo.
Posted at 89'
Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 89'
Foul by Pablo Martínez (Levante).
SubstitutionPosted at 88'
Substitution, Levante. Sergio León replaces Borja Mayoral.
Posted at 87'
Foul by Raphael Varane (Real Madrid).
Posted at 87'
Borja Mayoral (Levante) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Posted at 86'
Corner, Levante. Conceded by Raphael Varane.
Posted at 86'
Attempt blocked. Borja Mayoral (Levante) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Gonzalo Melero.
Posted at 83'
Attempt blocked. Karim Benzema (Real Madrid) left footed shot from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Vinícius Júnior.
Posted at 82'
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Sergio Postigo.
SubstitutionPosted at 81'
Substitution, Real Madrid. Federico Valverde replaces Luka Modric.
Posted at 81'
Attempt missed. Toni Kroos (Real Madrid) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.
SubstitutionPosted at 81'
Substitution, Levante. Pablo Martínez replaces José Luis Morales.
Goal!Posted at 79'
Goal! Levante 1, Real Madrid 0. José Luis Morales (Levante) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Nikola Vukcevic.
Posted at 78'
Corner, Real Madrid. Conceded by Nikola Vukcevic.
Posted at 76'
Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 76'
Foul by Sergio Postigo (Levante).
Posted at 75'
Corner, Levante. Conceded by Vinícius Júnior.
SubstitutionPosted at 73'
Substitution, Real Madrid. Lucas Vázquez replaces Isco.
Posted at 73'
Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 73'
Foul by José Luis Morales (Levante).
BookingPosted at 71'
Casemiro (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Posted at 71'
Attempt blocked. Borja Mayoral (Levante) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is blocked. Assisted by Enis Bardhi.
SubstitutionPosted at 67'
Substitution, Levante. Gonzalo Melero replaces Roger Martí.
SubstitutionPosted at 67'
Substitution, Real Madrid. Vinícius Júnior replaces Eden Hazard because of an injury.
Posted at 64'
Foul by Casemiro (Real Madrid).
Posted at 64'
Enis Bardhi (Levante) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Posted at 63'
Attempt missed. Isco (Real Madrid) left footed shot from the left side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Luka Modric.
Posted at 62'
Offside, Real Madrid. Marcelo tries a through ball, but Karim Benzema is caught offside.
Posted at 61'
Eden Hazard (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Posted at 61'
Foul by Jorge Miramón (Levante).
Posted at 60'
Offside, Real Madrid. Casemiro tries a through ball, but Karim Benzema is caught offside.
Posted at 60'
Attempt saved. Roger Martí (Levante) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Nikola Vukcevic.
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Source: bbc.com