Levante vs Atletico Madrid match preview and predictions for Wednesday’s LaLiga match. Read on for the head-to-head, team news and predicted lineups as these sides face off in the first of two meetings this week.
- DATE: Wednesday 17th February 2021
- KICK-OFF: 19:00 (local time)
- STADIUM: Ciutat de Valencia
- COMPETITION: LaLiga
Levante vs Atletico Madrid Preview
It’s going to be a strange week for the players of Levante and Atletico Madrid as the two clubs meet twice in a rare LaLiga double-header. The Valencia club have caused problems for the big clubs in recent years and if anyone is capable of blowing the title race open, it’s perhaps them but Diego Simeone will know that maximum points from these fixtures will put Atleti firmly in the ascendancy.
It has been a busy start to 2021 for both clubs with Atleti catching up on some of their games in hand while Levante have made excellent progress in the Copa del Rey. Paco Lopez’s side are well placed to reach the Final having drawn their Semi-Final 1st Leg in Bilbao last week but they suffered a bit of a hangover at the weekend, losing 1-0 at home to Osasuna in LaLiga.
That was Levante’s first defeat at the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia this season and it also ended a 10 game unbeaten streak in all competitions, a sequence which included a shock 2-1 win against Real Madrid. They’ve also upset Barcelona plenty of times in recent years but Paco Lopez has failed to get the better of Diego Simeone in any of their league meetings, a good omen for the visitors in this one.
Atleti are 5 points clear at the top of LaLiga but with Barcelona, Real Madrid and indeed Sevilla having all won their last 3 league games, there is a little bit more pressure on them now with their rivals looking less like dropping points. Atleti will still have a game in hand on 2nd placed Real Madrid even after this match so they can afford a slip-up but this would be another significant result if Los Rojiblancos leave Valencia with the win.
One slight concern for Simeone is that they have started conceding a few goals in recent weeks. They’ve gone 5 games without a clean sheet, with over half of the goals they’ve let in this term in LaLiga having come over that period. Atleti are still waiting for positive news on a number of players who recently tested positive for COVID-19 and with Champions League action to come next week, this is certainly a challenging period in their season.
Head to Head
- Last 6 Competitive Meetings: 5 Atleti Wins, 1 Draw.
- Levante haven’t beaten Atleti since a 2-1 win in May 2016 in Valencia.
- Atleti have won 5 of the 6 meetings since then.
- The last 6 meetings at the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia have produced 2 wins each and 2 draws.
Team News
Jose Campana and Gonzalo Melero are missing for Levante.
Atleti are expecting to be without Thomas Lemar, Joao Felix and Moussa Dembélé due to COVID-19.
Predicted Levante Starting Lineup:
Fernández – Miramon, Duarte, Postigo, Clerc – De Frutos, Malsa, Bardhi, Rochina – Morales, Martí (4-4-2)
Predicted Atleti Starting Lineup:
Oblak – Savic, Giménez, Hermoso – Carrasco, Saúl, Koke, Llorente, Vrsaljko – Correa, Suárez (3-5-2)
Levante vs Atletico Madrid Predictions
Score Prediction: Levante 1-2 Atletico Madrid
This has the potential to be a tough couple of games for Atleti, particularly with their selection problems. However this is a Levante side that has also been missing some key men and may just be struggling with a bit of fatigue given their cup adventures. Struggling Osasuna’s ability to come here and win at the weekend certainly suggests that may be the case and it feels as though the visitors may just have the edge here.
Levante vs Atletico Madrid Betting Tips (18+)
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