Levante UD host Real Betis this Saturday in a LaLiga EA Sports match where extreme heat will be a major factor. The game, scheduled for 17:00 at the Ciutat de València stadium, will go ahead despite a postponement request from the home club, as reported by Mundo Deportivo. The league refused the request despite a forecast of around 30 degrees Celsius in the shade and humidity above 55%. Referee Ricardo De Burgos from the Basque committee will take charge.
Levante approach this fixture in a precarious sporting situation. After two matchdays, the granota team sits 17th in the standings with just one point. Their record is zero wins, one draw, and one loss, with a concerning zero goals scored and three conceded. This leaves them six points behind leaders Alaves in a season that has started with offensive struggles following the sale of their top scorer Carlos Espí to Real Madrid for 25 million euros.
How do both teams arrive at this match?
The early trajectories of Levante and Betis could not be more different. The Verdiblancos have won their first two matches, both 1-0, against Real Sociedad and Valencia, keeping a clean sheet in both. A win in Valencia would give them nine points from nine and provisional top spot. In contrast, Levante lost 3-0 to Espanyol at Cornellá and drew 0-0 with Osasuna in Pamplona. Their lack of goals is the main concern, and in the transfer market, former Betis striker Bakambu is rumoured as a possible replacement for Espí.
The Levante manager could give midfielder Hugo Sotelo his first start. The probable lineup includes Matt Ryan in goal; Nacho Pérez, Mandi, Dela, and Manu Sánchez in defence; Olasagasti, Hugo Sotelo, and Bardeli in midfield; with Brugué, Thiago Fernández, and Iván Romero up front. Mandi, a former Betis player, will captain the side. To see the full squad details, you can check our squad page.
What lineup will Betis field?
Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini could repeat the starting eleven from the first matchday. The team rested its starting defence in Tuesday's match at Mestalla. The expected formation features Álvaro Valles in goal; Bellerín, Bartra, Natan, and Fran García in defence; Facundo Bernal and Marc Roca as the holding midfielders; Antony and Fornals on the wings; Riquelme as the attacking midfielder; and Cucho Hernández as the central striker. There is also a possibility that Irish forward Troy Parrott could start.
Why is the heat a key factor?
Temperature will be an unwelcome protagonist at the Ciutat de València. This is not the first time a Levante-Betis match is played under such conditions, as last September's fixture also ended 2-2 in sweltering heat. Levante's request for a postponement was denied by LaLiga, forcing both teams to manage physical exertion carefully. The match will be broadcast on DAZN.
Performance in the heat could be decisive for a Levante side urgently needing to find the net. Their next fixture on the standings is an away trip to face Malaga, currently 16th, on September 6th. With just one point so far, every match becomes critical to climb away from the lower reaches of the table. The squad is searching for its first win and, above all, its first goal of the season, a clear objective before that trip to La Rosaleda. To track the team's statistical progress, visit our stats section.
