Levante managed to secure its second win in 24 league games as they cruised past Atletico Madrid 1-0 at the Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday. The loss dents Diego Simeone and co’s chances to regain the final Champions League qualification spot, as with 39 points, they remain fifth, tied on points with fourth-place Barcelona, which has a game in hand.

For last-placed Levante, Gonzalo Melero scored on a breakaway early in the second half. Their only other La Liga win this season was 2-0 against Mallorca last month. The Valencia club stayed 10 points from safety despite Wednesday’s win.

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The game, Atletico Madrid vs Levante, was postponed from the 21st round last month. The former couldn’t play then because it faced Real Sociedad in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey in a match postponed because of Atlético’s participation in the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Atlético goalkeeper Jan Oblak said that the team needs to improve in every aspect.  

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“We are not giving our best and it’s impossible to win like this. We are going through a very difficult moment and we have to improve in every aspect. We are not playing at the level we should be playing. We need to change or we are not going to make it to the Champions League.

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“It’s been a very tough season and a win like this will give us a great boost going forward,” said Melero, who found the net from inside the area in the 54th minute at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

The defending champions thought they had equalized deep into stoppage time but Ángel Correa’s bicycle-kick goal was disallowed for a foul away from the play. Simeone started with Matheus Cunha and Correa in attack, with João Félix and Luis Suárez coming off the bench in the second half.

With inputs from the Associated Press