Espanyol vs Levante – News and Probable Lineups

Still in search of their inaugural win of 2026, Espanyol will carry on with their La Liga journey at home against a relegation-threatened Levante this coming Monday evening.

Currently sitting at 12th in the La Liga rankings, the Catalan team has fallen out of the race for European qualification owing to their poor form this year, while Levante occupies the 19th position, three points adrift of safety.

Match overview

Espanyol initially displayed the potential to secure a top-four finish during the early stages of the campaign, but they are still in pursuit of their first win of 2026.

In fact, the White and Blues have not celebrated a victory since defeating Athletic Bilbao 2-1 on December 22, resulting in their slip to 12th place in the table.

Presently, Espanyol trails sixth-placed Getafe by six points, and they are merely four points above the relegation zone, shedding light on their difficulties this season.

Coach Manolo Gonzalez’s team will approach this fixture following a 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano, having endured four defeats in their last five matches in Spain’s top tier.

Espanyol holds a favorable overall record against Levante, with 17 wins to their name and 10 losses, and 16 of their 43 encounters have ended in draws.

The earlier match between the two teams this season ended in a 1-1 stalemate, yet Levante hasn’t triumphed over Espanyol since June 2020, with the Catalan club claiming victory in three of the last five encounters, including a 2-1 win in the corresponding match during the 2023-24 season.

Levante has gathered a total of 32 points from their 32 league appearances this season, leaving them in 19th place, three points away from the safety net at 17th position.

The Frogs have actually managed to win three out of their last four league outings, including back-to-back victories against Getafe and Sevilla, though other teams near the bottom are also gaining points.

Under the guidance of Luis Castro, the team has achieved eight wins, eight draws, and 16 losses from their 32 fixtures, highlighting the intense competition at the lower end of the table, especially since Mallorca faced difficulties after their loss to Alaves last Saturday.

Levante has actually amassed 12 points across their 15 away league matches this season, whilst Espanyol ranks 16th in terms of home performance.

Spanish La Liga form:

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Levante La Liga form:

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Team News

Espanyol will be missing the services of long-term absentee Javi Puado once again, and Fernando Calero is required to undergo a late fitness test to assess his potential availability.

On the upside for the hosts, Urko Gonzalez returns after serving a suspension and is anticipated to rejoin the starting lineup.

Kike Garcia, who has netted eight goals this season and is the team’s top scorer, will continue to play a crucial role in the attack.

Conversely, Levante will lack the availability of Roger Brugue, Unai Elgezabal, and Kareem Tunde for Monday’s clash due to fitness issues.

Additionally, Ivan Romero will miss the match after receiving a crucial yellow card during the team’s recent 2-0 victory over Sevilla.

Carlos Espi has made a remarkable impact this campaign, finding the net eight times in 19 La Liga appearances, and he is expected to maintain his position in the attack.

Espanyol probable starting XI:

Dmitrovic; El Hilali, Riedel, Cabrera, Romero; Gonzalez, Terrats; Ngonge, Exposito, Dolan; K Garcia

Levante probable starting XI:

Ryan; Toljan, Moreno, De la Fuente, Sanchez; V Garcia, Olasgasti, Raghouber, Martinez, Alvarez; Espi

Levante’s current form is commendable, and considering Espanyol is still on the hunt for their first victory of 2026, it seems likely that the visitors could secure a point this Monday night.