Levante urgently need a win this Wednesday against Athletic Club to end a five-match winless run. The match, corresponding to the sixth round of LaLiga EA Sports, will be played at 20:00 at the Ciutat de València after heavy rain forced its postponement on 16 September.
Luís Castro's side sit 17th in the table with just seven points from eight games, having recorded one win, four draws and three defeats. Their last result was a 1-1 draw away to Deportivo La Coruña last Friday, with Daniel Requena Sánchez scoring in the 82nd minute. This leaves them twenty points behind the leaders, Barcelona. Their next fixture is this very Wednesday at home against Athletic Club, who are 11th in the table.
Castro backs his team
The Portuguese coach, Luís Castro, has expressed confidence in the group's work despite the poor results. "We are competing well," the manager stated on the eve of the game. He also noted that "the team is competing well both at home and away," aiming to project calm under pressure. For this clash, Castro welcomes back defender Etta Eyong from injury and could hand starts to players like Toljan and Oihan Olasagasti. The only confirmed absentee is midfielder Hugo Sotelo, who continues to recover from a knee sprain.
Striker Brugui, the team's top scorer this season with three goals, will be a key figure in the search for goals. The granota side have scored 12 league goals but conceded 16, leaving a goal difference of -4. In recent matches, the 1-1 draw in La Coruña and the 3-3 draw at home to Sevilla, where Iván Romero, Adrián de la Fuente Barquilla and Ifeanyi Ndukwe scored, show attacking capability but also defensive fragility.
An inconsistent Athletic
The visit of Athletic Club, 11th in the table with nine points, will not be easy but they arrive in a patch of inconsistent form. The Basque side have three consecutive league draws and face the match with several important absences. Striker Gorka Guruzeta and midfielder Oihan Sancet are injured, while the availability of international winger Nico Williams is in doubt. Robert Navarro and Johaneko are fit to play.
The match will be broadcast on Movistar Plus+. A win would allow Levante to climb, at least temporarily, out of the relegation places and gain breathing room in a difficult season. The final whistle will end a wait of over a month for this postponed fixture.
Background and full detail: levante-emv.com
