Levante UD defender Dela delivered a scathing assessment of his team's performance after a 3-0 defeat to RCD Espanyol in their LaLiga opener. The player admitted 'everything' was missing for the granotes at the RCDE Stadium, as reported by Las Provincias on Monday.
The loss marks a bitter start to a season plagued by squad registration issues. Thiago Fernández, Tay Abed, Yanis Musuayi, Hugo Sotelo, and Dani Requena were all unavailable due to administrative hurdles. This limited the manager's options to just 18 or 19 players, a significant handicap from the first whistle.
What did Dela say about the performance?
Dela was blunt in his post-match analysis. "Today we lacked everything: competing, intensity, winning duels, creating more with the ball...", stated the centre-back. He pointed to basic defensive failures, conceding the team struggled to defend and were easily found 'between the lines and in behind'.
The player also highlighted a lack of tactical understanding. He said the team failed to 'understand what the manager told us'. This disconnect on the pitch resulted in a damning statistic: Levante failed to register a single shot on target throughout the ninety minutes.
How did registration problems affect the team?
Issues registering players with the league hampered the team's preparation. Dela referred to the matter as something that 'deserves a book of its own'. The uncertainty over who was eligible complicated match planning and reduced options from the bench.
This situation contrasts with the squad's potential. Our squad page shows the full roster the club aims to field once paperwork is resolved. Overcoming this administrative obstacle is the first step for the team to show its true level.
What does Marc Santos' debut mean?
A positive note on the day was the debut of Marc Santos. Aged just 15, he became the youngest player ever to debut for Levante in the top flight. Dela praised the youngster, describing him as 'a very intelligent boy for his age' who 'makes very few mistakes in training'.
His presence is a testament to the club's academy, which could be a valuable resource this campaign. Performance data for young talents is available in our stats section.
What is the path forward?
Dela was clear about the work ahead. The immediate task is to 'work harder and learn from today'. The team needs to quickly find the competitive intensity it lacked in Cornellà-El Prat.
The schedule waits for no one, and Levante must prepare for its upcoming fixtures. You can check the full sequence of matches on our fixtures calendar. The reaction on the pitch is the only thing that can change the narrative after this difficult start.
