Levante UD earned a valuable point on the road with a 0-0 draw against Málaga CF at La Rosaleda this Sunday. As reported by Sport.es, the LaLiga EA Sports match was decided by fine margins, with a first-half penalty miss by the home side's Chupe being the clearest chance.
How did the match unfold?
Málaga controlled the first half and created the biggest opportunity before the tenth minute. A cross from Salinas hit Nacho Pérez's arm inside the box, resulting in a penalty. Chupe, however, shot down the middle and Levante's goalkeeper, Ryan, palmed it away with his fists. On the rebound, the ball went in after several deflections, but the goal was disallowed for a prior foul. Levante reacted after the break, improving their pressure and creating more danger. Málaga's keeper Alfonso Herrero made a superb reflex save to keep the clean sheet. In the final minutes, Luís Castro's team held off the local push and secured the point.
What were the team news?
Levante manager Luís Castro fielded a consistent starting eleven following their big win against Betis. Keeper Ryan; Toljan, Dela, Mandi and Manu Sánchez; Olasa, Rey and Bardeli; Brugué, Thiago and Iván Romero were the starters. For this match, Castro had new signings Petar Ratkov and Axel Tape, on loan from Lazio and Bayer Leverkusen respectively, available, although forward Etta Eyong felt some discomfort in Friday's training session. The granota squad, currently seventh in the standings, has shown a solid defence this season.
What is the state of Levante's squad?
The Valencian side has built a competitive block for the campaign. The captain, with over 150 appearances for the club, is a key piece in midfield. Serbian striker Petar Ratkov, aged 22, arrives to add goals, while Frenchman Axel Tape, 21, reinforces creativity in the middle of the park. You can check the full squad status on our team page. The defence, with experienced players like Mandi, has been key to keeping three clean sheets in the last five matches.
What's next for Levante?
Following this result, Levante UD turns its focus to the next league fixture. The team travels to Vigo to face Celta next weekend, a match that promises to be intense. The upcoming fixtures schedule shows a series of important commitments that could define the team's table position. With this point in the bag, the mood in the granota dressing room is positive ahead of the immediate challenges.
