Preview: Levante vs Villarreal - prediction, team news, lineups

Villarreal will be aiming to return to winning ways in Spain's top flight when they continue their campaign with a clash against Levante at Estadi Ciutat de Valencia on Wednesday evening.

The Yellow Submarine are currently third in the La Liga table, level on points with fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, while Levante are 19th, seven points from the safety of 17th spot.

Match preview

This match was originally due to take place in the middle of December, but it was postponed due to heavy rainfall in the Valencia region, with the clash now being played on Wednesday night.

Levante will enter the fixture off the back of a 2-0 defeat to Valencia in the Valencia derby, with the result leaving them down in 19th spot in the table on 18 points.

There is still a lot of football to be played this season, but Luis Castro's side are now seven points behind 17th-placed Rayo Vallecano, which is a big gap at this stage of the campaign.

Levante's main issue this season has been their defence, with the Frogs conceding 40 times in their 23 matches, which is the worst record in the division.

Castro's team have also found it tough in front of their own fans, with seven points from 11 matches representing the worst home record in La Liga this term.

Villarreal, meanwhile, will enter the match off the back of a 2-1 loss to Getafe, and they have now only managed to win one of their last seven games in all competitions.

The Yellow Submarine have lost five of their last seven, meanwhile, but they remain in a healthy position in the La Liga table, sitting third, boasting 45 points from 23 matches.

Marcelino's side are level on points with fourth-placed Atletico Madrid and have a game in hand on Diego Simeone's side, while they are four points ahead of fifth-placed Real Betis.

Villarreal need to get their act together if they are to secure Champions League football for next term, though, and there is simply no downplaying the importance of this match.

The Yellow Submarine suffered a 2-0 defeat to Levante when the pair last locked horns in April 2022, but Villarreal have won two of the last three games between the two sides, scoring 10 times in the process.

Levante La Liga form:

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Villarreal La Liga form:

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Villarreal form (all competitions):

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Team News

Levante will again be without the services of Roger Brugue through injury, while Pablo Martinez faces a late fitness test before his availability is determined.

The home side will also be missing Kervin Arriaga, with the 28-year-old sent off in the latter stages of the Valencia derby last time out.

Etta Eyong was surprisingly not a starter against Valencia last time out, but the in-demand striker is expected to be brought back into the first XI for this match.

As for Villarreal, Logan Costa, Juan Foyth and Pau Cabanes are definitely out of the clash through injury.

Four more - Willy Kambwala, Gerard Moreno, Alfon Gonzalez and Thomas Partey - are regarded as major doubts, so the visitors could be without seven players for the clash with Levante.

Ayoze Perez and Georges Mikautadze started on the bench against Getafe last time out, but the attacking duo are set to earn recalls for this contest.

Levante possible starting lineup:

Ryan; Toljan, De la Fuente, Moreno, Sanchez; Vencedor, Raghouber; Tunde, Alvarez, Romero; Eyong

Villarreal possible starting lineup:

Junior; Mourino, Marin, Veiga, Cardona; Buchanan, Gueye, Comesana, Moleiro; Mikautadze, Perez

We say: Levante 1-2 Villarreal

Villarreal are a difficult side to back at the moment due to their struggles, but Levante are also having a tough time, and we are expecting the Yellow Submarine to navigate their way to all three points.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.