Levante vs Villarreal Match Preview & Prediction

Levante vs Villarreal predictions, H2H and match preview for this Friday’s game in La Liga. Read on for analysis and predicted line-ups as the Yellow Submarine make the short trip to Valencia.

Levante vs Villarreal Preview

This game sees two sides from the Valencian Community meet. While there’s not huge bitterness between the clubs, there’s plenty at stake here with both looking to bounce back from disappointing starts to the season. Levante were beaten on the opening weekend at Alaves while Villarreal were held to a 4-4 draw at home by new boys Granada and both will see this match as a good chance to bounce back.

There would have been plenty to concern Javi Calleja at the Ceramica last weekend. Having spent much of the summer recruiting new defenders to fix his side’s problems at the back, Villarreal looked every bit as vulnerable defensively as they did last season. It was a totally new-look back four with only left-back Xavi Quintilla having been at the club last term and he featured more heavily for the B team. It may take time for the defence to gel as a unit following the overhaul and Levante will have noted how vulnerable Villarreal looked from set-pieces with Granada’s final two goals coming from corners.

Villarreal will see flaws in this Levante side too though. It was a slightly different approach from Paco Lopez’s men in their opening game at Alaves. They focused more on keeping the ball than they tended to last season when they were primarily a counter-attacking team on their travels. However it did them no good as they sank to a 1-0 defeat in Vitoria.

Back on home soil for this late Friday night clash with Villarreal, they’ll be hungry for a response and they can take confidence from having gone 6 league games without defeat at home since losing to the Yellow Submarine last season.

Check out our 2019/20 season previews for both teams – Levante | Villarreal

Levante vs Villarreal Predictions

Score Prediction: 2-1 Levante

Villarreal looked really unconvincing on the opening weekend against newly promoted opposition. Their opening goal was slightly against the run of play and the fact they conceded 4 goals at home to Granada really does not suggest they are close to resolving last season’s defensive issues which plunged them into a relegation battle. They should cause problems down the flanks here with Samu Chukwueze while Moi Gomez impressed on his second debut but Levante look capable of exposing their defensive flaws and potentially winning this game.

Levante vs Villarreal H2H

• Last 6 competitive meetings: 2 Levante Wins, 3 Villarreal Wins, 1 Draw.
• The sides met in pre-season with Villarreal winning 2-1.
• Villarreal also won on this ground 2-0 in La Liga in March to ease their relegation worries.
• They’d lost on their previous 2 league trips to Levante though.

Check out all our matchday 2 La Liga predictions.

Predicted Line Ups

Levante Team:

Fernandez – Postigo, Duarte, Vezo – Tono, Bardhi, Rochina, Campana, Miramon – Morales, Mayoral (3-5-2)

Villarreal Team:

Fernandez – Quintilla, Torres, Albiol, Pena – Cazorla, Anguissa – Gomez, Iborra, Chukwueze – Moreno (4-2-3-1)