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Can Levante’s through-ball threat and long-shot edge disrupt Espanyol’s wing play at Estadio Ciudad de Valencia? Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips.
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Espanyol's fifth-place standing and strong chance creation give them a significant edge over 19th-placed Levante. The hosts suffer from a defense that concedes 1.71 goals per game and is particularly weak at defending the wings and set pieces—two areas where Espanyol excel. While Levante can be dangerous on the break, their inability to protect leads or stop chance creation suggests the visitors have the tools to secure all three points, especially as they look to resume the winning form they displayed throughout November and December.
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This selection aligns with Espanyol’s defensive record of seven clean sheets and Levante’s average of nearly two goals conceded per game. Levante struggle to create high volumes of shots and are very weak at preventing opponents from generating quality opportunities. Espanyol’s strength in wide areas and set-piece efficiency should see them score twice, while their more organized defensive structure is likely to hold firm against a Levante attack that often lacks the possession required to sustain pressure, resulting in a controlled away victory.
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Levante vs Espanyol Predictions and Best Bets
Levante vs Espanyol — bet365 Market Snapshot
Swipe through key markets with illustrative probabilities and sample bet365 odds based on our match analysis.
Espanyol’s strong league position and Levante’s defensive fragilities make the visitors clear favourites in the 1X2 market.
Pricing suggests a contest where Espanyol’s ability to find the net against a leaky Levante defence is a key factor.
Markets lean towards both teams finding the net, reflecting Levante’s attacking style vs their defensive weaknesses.
- Table pressure in one glance: Levante are 19th with 13 points from 17 matches, while Espanyol are fifth with 33 from 18, a gap that shapes every decision.
- Set-piece and corner theme: Espanyol have 96 corners across 20 played games (4.8 per match), and Levante are very weak defending set pieces, a risky combination.
- Creators and finishers: Pere Milla has 6 La Liga goals and Edu Expósito has 5 assists, while Levante’s Karl Etta Eyong leads them with 5 goals and Iván Romero has 4.
League Standing: Total Points Comparison
The gap between the two sides is significant, with Espanyol’s consistency setting them apart from a struggling Levante.
Currently 19th in the table, averaging less than a point per game.
Sitting 5th in the league, maintaining a strong position despite recent setbacks.
Defensive Stability: Clean Sheets This Season
Shutting out the opposition has been a key difference in the success of these two clubs so far.
Conceding 1.71 goals per league match highlights ongoing defensive vulnerabilities.
Nearly twice as many clean sheets as their opponents, reflecting a more stable backline.
Levante and Espanyol meet at Estadio Ciudad de Valencia on Sunday afternoon with the league table pulling them in opposite directions. Levante are 19th with 13 points from 17 matches, while Espanyol sit fifth on 33 points from 18. One side are scrapping for oxygen, the other are enjoying a campaign with real bite to it.
The framing is sharp. Levante come into this on the back of mixed recent results: a 3-0 win away at Sevilla on January 4, a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad on December 20, and a 2-0 loss at Osasuna on December 8. Espanyol arrive after seeing a run of league wins interrupted by a 2-0 defeat at home to Barcelona on January 3, which is described as their first La Liga defeat since the start of November.
So there’s your tension: Levante needing points because the table demands it, Espanyol needing a response because a strong run has just taken a dent. And stylistically, it’s not as simple as “one attacks, one defends”. Both sides spend plenty of time without the ball in this league season, both are comfortable going direct, and both have weaknesses that can be poked in very specific areas.
Team News and Likely Set-Ups
Levante’s possible starting XI is Mathew Ryan in goal, with Jeremy Toljan, Adrián de la Fuente, Matías Moreno and Manu Sánchez across the back. The midfield pairing is Pablo Martínez and Kervin Arriaga, with Kareem Tunde, Carlos Álvarez and Iker Losada in support of Iván Romero.
That selection leans into Levante’s broader identity: they play a lot of football in their own half, they use long balls, they attempt through balls often, and they take a lot of shots. In this XI, Toljan and Sánchez give width from full-back, while Álvarez and Losada can work as connectors in the pockets before Romero becomes the focal point. Martínez and Arriaga look like the screen in front of the centre-backs, and that’s a key job because Levante are described as very weak at stopping opponents from creating chances and very weak at protecting the lead. That’s not a minor flaw. That’s the kind of flaw that turns a decent half into a frantic finish.
In terms of availability, Unai Elgezabal Udondo is listed with a meniscus tear, while Roger Brugué Ayguadé has an outer ligament tear and is listed out until 01.03.2026.
Espanyol’s possible starting XI has Marko Dmitrovic in goal, with Omar El Hilali, Fernando Calero, Leandro Cabrera and Carlos Romero in defence. The midfield base is Urko González de Zárate and Edu Expósito, with Tyrhys Dolan, Pere Milla and Jofre Carreras behind Roberto Fernández.
It’s a line-up that screams chance creation even while the team profile admits they don’t dominate the ball. Espósito is a producer from midfield with 5 league assists, Milla is their top scorer on 6, and Roberto Fernández brings 4 goals and 2 assists. At the back, Cabrera offers aerial presence and has chipped in with 2 goals. Carlos Romero is a genuine threat from full-back too, with 3 goals and 2 assists and a team-leading rating of 7.07. That combination of output from deep positions matters against a Levante side described as very weak defending set pieces and very weak defending attacks down the wings.
How the Match Could Be Played
This looks like a game where the ball is never going to feel “safe” for long. Levante’s style leans into long balls and through balls, while Espanyol attempt crosses often, take a lot of shots, and also mix in long balls. The likely result is a match with phases rather than a steady tempo: a spell of Levante trying to push play through the middle, a spell of Espanyol pinning them back with crosses and second balls, and plenty of transitions in between when shape goes out the window.
Levante’s biggest problem sits in the spaces they leave. They are weak at keeping possession of the ball, and very weak at stopping opponents from creating chances. That means you can do the hard work of defending for 20 seconds, then hand the ball back with one loose pass and immediately face another wave. Against Espanyol, that’s dangerous because Espanyol’s strengths include creating scoring chances at a very strong level. When a team can create repeatedly, you don’t just need one good defensive action — you need a sequence of them.
Espanyol’s attacking routes are clear from the names. Dolan and Carreras can supply wide support, Milla can arrive into scoring areas, and Roberto Fernández can occupy defenders with his movement and finishing. The full-backs matter too: El Hilali and Carlos Romero offer width, and Espanyol are described as strong at attacking down the wings and strong at attacking set pieces. If Levante sit too deep, those deliveries start stacking up. If Levante step out to stop crosses, they open lanes for through balls — and Levante are described as weak defending against through ball attacks.
Levante, for their part, do have a couple of levers to pull. They are strong at shooting from direct free kicks and strong at creating chances using through balls. That pairing makes Pablo Martínez, Álvarez and Losada important, because the quickest way to unbalance Espanyol is to win a foul in a dangerous area or slip one pass behind a full-back who has pushed on. Iván Romero becomes the obvious target when the ball goes early. He has 4 league goals and 1 assist, and his minutes total shows he’s a regular presence, not a cameo figure.
There’s also an intriguing “risk meets risk” dynamic on the defensive side. Espanyol are weak at keeping possession of the ball and weak at protecting the lead, so if they get ahead and try to manage the game with the ball, their own profile invites errors. Levante are very weak at protecting the lead too, so if they somehow edge in front, they have the same problem in sharper form. That’s why the opening 20 minutes feel vital: it’s about who imposes their attacking patterns first, and who ends up chasing.
Key areas of the pitch? Wide zones and the spaces just outside the box. Levante’s defensive weaknesses include being very weak against attacks down the wings and very weak defending set pieces. Espanyol’s weaknesses include being very weak defending against long shots and weak defending against skillful players. That means Levante’s best moments can come from shots and individual actions around the edge of the area, while Espanyol’s best moments can come from stretching Levante wide and turning territory into dead-ball pressure.
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The Numbers That Support the Story
Levante’s league position is backed up by the basics: 17 matches, 13 points, and a goal difference of -9 with 20 scored and 29 conceded. That’s a side conceding 1.71 goals per match in the league (29 over 17), and when you concede that often, you spend most games one mistake away from the whole thing collapsing.
Their broader match profile leans defensive too. Levante average 41.0% possession and 77.8% pass completion in La Liga, with 10.2 shots per game. That combination means they don’t see the ball much and they don’t fire huge volumes either, so their quality moments have to be clean, not scruffy.
Espanyol’s league line is stronger: 33 points from 18, 22 goals scored and 19 conceded for a +3 goal difference. Their possession number is almost identical to Levante’s (40.4%), and their pass completion is 78.5%, which means this isn’t a match between a “ball team” and a “counter team”. It’s two sides who can live without possession, but one of them is simply doing the important bits better.
Espanyol take more shots, too: 12.7 per game compared to Levante’s 10.6 across the listed shot section, and they’ve collected 7 clean sheets across the 20 played games section compared to Levante’s 4. That matters because a low-possession away side that can shut the door for spells is built to grind out results — and Espanyol’s recent run of league wins before the Barcelona defeat fits that profile.
One final number that feels relevant in a game with wide threats is corners: Espanyol have 96 in the “20 played games” section, averaging 4.8 per match, while Levante have 69, averaging 3.45. Corners aren’t decoration here. Levante are very weak defending set pieces, and Espanyol are strong attacking set pieces. If this match spends long spells with Espanyol in the final third, that corner count becomes a recurring theme rather than a footnote.
Key “Moments” to Watch
The first swing factor is what happens when Espanyol go wide. Levante are very weak defending attacks down the wings and very weak defending set pieces, so the danger isn’t just the cross itself — it’s the chain reaction: a blocked delivery, a corner, a second phase, another delivery, and suddenly you’re defending the same situation three times in a minute. If Carlos Romero and El Hilali get high and Espanyol keep recycling play, Levante’s concentration is going to be tested constantly.
The second is Levante’s chance to hurt Espanyol from distance. Espanyol are very weak at defending against long shots. Levante’s style includes taking a lot of shots, and they are strong at creating through-ball chances too. That’s the recipe for a scrappy half-chance turning into a proper moment: a loose clearance, a midfielder stepping onto it, or a quick slip pass into the channel that ends with a cut-back and a strike.
Third, watch the game state around a lead. Levante are very weak at protecting the lead, and Espanyol are weak at protecting the lead. If either side score first, the match doesn’t automatically settle. It can become edgy, stretched, and full of “one more chance” moments because neither team’s profile screams calm game management.
What could go wrong with this read? The margins are thin in matches between low-possession sides. A single direct free kick, a deflection from a long shot, or one awkward set-piece scramble can flip the momentum and force the other team into a game they didn’t plan to play. Add Levante’s habit of home losses and Espanyol’s own mixed away record in this match-up, and the narrative can swing quickly.
Best Bet for Levante vs Espanyol
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Espanyol to Win
Levante and Espanyol enter this fixture at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia with significantly different trajectories. While Levante are currently 19th in the table with just 13 points from 17 matches, Espanyol are firmly in the mix at the top, sitting fifth with 33 points from 18 games. This gap in the standings is no accident; it is a direct reflection of structural defensive issues for the hosts and a potent, multi-faceted attack for the visitors.
The most glaring factor in this matchup is Levante’s defensive instability. They have conceded 29 goals in 17 matches, an average of 1.71 goals per game. This lack of resilience is compounded by specific tactical vulnerabilities. They are very weak at stopping opponents from creating chances and very weak at protecting a lead. For a team that only averages 41% possession, being unable to shut the door when under pressure is a recipe for disaster. Espanyol, by contrast, possess a “very strong” ability to create scoring chances. With players like Pere Milla (6 goals) and Roberto Fernández (4 goals, 2 assists) leading the line, Espanyol have the clinical edge required to punish a defense that consistently allows openings.
Furthermore, the tactical matchup favors the visitors’ preferred methods of attack. Espanyol are strong at attacking down the wings and strong at attacking set pieces. Levante are very weak at defending both of these specific areas. Espanyol’s Carlos Romero, who carries a team-leading rating of 7.07 from the full-back position, provides 3 goals and 2 assists of his own, highlighting how much danger Espanyol generate from wide areas. If Levante are pinned back, the volume of crosses and corners—where Espanyol average nearly five per game—will likely overwhelm a backline that struggles with dead-ball situations.
While Levante showed they can produce a result with their recent 3-0 win over Sevilla, their overall profile remains fragile. They are weak at keeping possession and struggle against through-ball attacks. Espanyol arrive motivated to bounce back from a narrow defeat to Barcelona, their first loss since early November. Given Espanyol’s superior league position, their ability to create chances in the exact areas where Levante are most vulnerable, and their significantly better defensive record (7 clean sheets compared to Levante’s 4), the away side has the clear upper hand.
What could go wrong?
The primary risk to this selection is Levante’s ability to strike on the counter-attack or through individual brilliance. They are strong at creating chances via through balls and are dangerous from direct free-kick situations. If the game becomes a high-variance affair where Levante’s shots from distance find the mark—an area where Espanyol are very weak defensively—the hosts could frustrate the favorites. Additionally, Espanyol’s own weakness in protecting a lead could lead to a late collapse if they fail to secure a two-goal cushion.
Correct score lean
Espanyol 2-0 Levante
This scoreline reflects the statistical gap between the two sides. Espanyol have recorded seven clean sheets this season and face a Levante side that averages only 10.2 shots per game and struggles to maintain possession. Defensively, Levante concede 1.71 goals per match on average, and Espanyol’s ability to create high-quality chances from wide areas and set pieces suggests they will find the net multiple times. Given Levante’s “very weak” rating in stopping chance creation, a 2-0 victory for the disciplined visitors is a logical outcome that aligns with the visitors’ defensive solidity and the hosts’ offensive limitations.
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