Match Overview
Levante UD will host Athletic Club at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia in what promises to be a compelling La Liga encounter. Levante, currently sitting 14th in the league table with 5 points from five games, will be looking to bounce back from a recent loss to FC Barcelona. Their home form has been mixed, with a win, a draw, and a loss in their last three at home. Coach Luís Castro will need his side to be resilient, especially given the absence of key players. Athletic Club, positioned 9th with 7 points, comes into this match with slightly better form, having secured two wins, one draw, and two losses in their last five outings. However, they too face challenges with several players sidelined due to injury. The historical head-to-head record between these two sides leans in favor of Athletic Club, adding another layer of intrigue to this fixture. The match is set to kick off on September 16, 2026.
Team News and Form
Levante UD enters this match with some significant injury concerns. Álex Primo is still recovering from knee surgery, and Karl Etta Eyong is out due to a rectus femoris injury [1]. Despite these setbacks, players like Dani Requena are showing good form and are considered key to the team’s performance [2]. Coach Luís Castro has been working to integrate new players like Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who is expected to contribute in the future [2]. Their recent form of LDWDL indicates inconsistency, with a notable 5-2 victory over Real Betis followed by a 4-2 defeat to Barcelona. Athletic Club, under coach Edin Terzić, is also grappling with injuries, as Vivian, Canales, and Guruzeta are all out [3]. However, they receive a boost with Iñaki Williams having retired from international duty with Ghana, making him fully available for club commitments [4]. Oihan Sancet is also back in the squad and is expected to play a significant role [5]. Their form of DWWLL suggests a team that can perform well, especially after a 3-0 win against Atlético Madrid. Unai Simón, considered a potential candidate for the best goalkeeper in the world, will be crucial for Athletic’s defense [6].
Head-to-Head and Predictions
The recent head-to-head record between Levante UD and Athletic Club shows a clear advantage for the visitors. In their last two encounters, Athletic Club secured a 4-2 victory at home in February 2026 and a 2-0 win away in November 2025. These results suggest that Athletic Club has found a way to overcome Levante in recent times. Predict.game’s models offer a divided outlook for this match. The baseline model predicts a 2-1 home win for Levante, assigning a 51.5% probability to a home victory, with expected goals of 1.83 for Levante and 1.23 for Athletic. However, other models lean towards an away win for Athletic Club. The Opus model forecasts a 1-2 away win with a 46% probability for Athletic, citing their superior standing, recent form, and head-to-head record. Kimi-Cool also predicts a 1-2 away win, giving Athletic a 44% chance, but notes that injuries and away form temper confidence. Gemini-Flash and GPT-Striker both align with a 1-2 away win, emphasizing Athletic’s better form and head-to-head record, as well as Levante’s injuries and defensive struggles. Deep-Thinker similarly predicts a 1-2 away win, highlighting Athletic’s form and Levante’s defensive issues. The consensus among several models points to a narrow victory for Athletic Club, despite the baseline model’s preference for a home win.
Sources
- Marca: Levante - Barça: Los culés, a por la 'manita' de LaLiga marca.com ↩
- Marca: Luís Castro: "¿El césped?, si en la grada una persona casi muere de calor; el Levante no puede tapar el sol" marca.com ↩
- Marca: Athletic - Elche | La alegría vive en menos de 18 metros cuadrados: previa, análisis, pronóstico y predicción marca.com ↩
- BBC Sport: Athletic Club forward Williams retires from Ghana duty bbc.co.uk ↩
- Marca: Sancet brilla con el balón y el corazón marca.com ↩
- Marca: Johaneko: "El míster me dice que esté siempre preparado porque puedo jugar en varias posiciones marca.com ↩