Levante vs Mallorca – News and Probable Lineups

This Sunday, Levante faces off against relegation rivals Mallorca at the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia, marking one of the most crucial fixtures of matchday 37.

The home team is currently sitting at 19th place in La Liga, sharing 39 points with both Mallorca and Elche, who are positioned 18th and 17th respectively.

Match overview

Since taking over as Levante’s head coach in January, Luis Castro has made a commendable impact, with a record of eight victories, five draws, and seven losses across 20 matches.

This marks a notable improvement compared to the two wins Levante achieved in their first 16 league matches before Castro’s appointment (D4, L10).

Levante showcased their resilience in their last two matches, bouncing back from two goals down to secure a 3-2 victory over Osasuna last weekend, and repeating the feat against Celta Vigo in midweek, also winning 3-2.

Despite these recent performances, Levante ended matchday 36 still in 19th position, yet the four-point gap to Valencia in 11th illustrates how tightly contested the relegation battle is as the season approaches its conclusion.

With a final match against Real Betis away, Levante understands the critical nature of Sunday’s encounter against a direct rival in relegation, recognizing that a victory greatly enhances their survival chances, whereas a loss could mean an immediate demotion to the second tier.

The Granotes can draw significant confidence from their record of five wins in their last six home fixtures, including four straight victories at the Ciutat de Valencia.

Additionally, they have a perfect record against Mallorca at home in their last four meetings, which includes a 2-0 victory during their last encounter on this ground in January 2022.

Mallorca’s head coach Martin Demichelis started his tenure with a strong showing, securing three wins from his first five matches after taking charge at the end of February (D1, L1).

However, following a promising start, Demichelis has witnessed his team’s form decline, with only one win in their last five matches (D2, L2).

Mallorca was unable to secure points during their recent trip to Getafe, where Omar Mascarell managed to score a consolation goal in a 3-1 loss, leaving them just above the relegation zone ahead of their remaining games against Levante and Real Oviedo.

Los Bermellones will continue their travels and hold the second-worst away record in the league, having collected only nine points from 18 away fixtures this season.

They have struggled significantly on the road, failing to win seven of their last nine La Liga away matches (W1, D1), including three losses in their last five.

To secure their third league victory of the season on Sunday, Mallorca must overcome Levante at the Ciutat de Valencia, a feat they haven’t achieved since a 1-0 triumph in October 2006.

Mallorca’s leading scorer in La Liga history, Vedat Muriqi, will be vital for their chances, having found the net 22 times in 35 appearances this season, leaving him just two goals behind Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Pichichi trophy.

Team News

Levante is likely to be without Carlos Alvarez and Unai Elgezabal due to knee and ankle injuries, respectively.

Roger Brugue is pushing for a spot in the starting XI after coming off the bench to score the decisive goal at Balaidos on Tuesday.

Manu Sanchez, the left-back, may also rejoin the first team, while Diego Pampin could be set to move to the bench.

For the visitors, Demichelis will likely find himself without the services of Lucas Bergstrom, Antonio Raillo, Marash Kumbulla, Justin Kalumba, and Mateo Joseph.

After serving a one-match suspension, Samu Costa is expected to step in for Mascarell, who will now sit out due to his own suspension after accumulating five yellow cards this season.

Demichelis might consider two additional changes, with Johan Mojica and Pablo Torre anticipated to return to the starting lineup.

Levante probable starting XI:

Ryan; Toljan, Dela, Moreno, Sanchez; Olasagasti, Arriaga, Martinez; Garcia, Brugui, Espi

Mallorca probable starting XI:

Roman; Maffeo, Lopez, Valjent, Mojica; Costa, Darder, Morlanes, Torre; Muriqi, Luvumbo

Levante enters this match on a streak of four consecutive home victories, and even though the competition will be tight, we believe they will manage to edge past a Mallorca side with the second-worst away form in the top division.