Liverpool youngster Ifeanyi Ndukwe was expected to start his first match for Levante in La Liga but the game was postponed
A general view of the waterlogged pitch as a message on the stadium screen announces that the LaLiga EA Sports match between Levante UD and Athletic Club has been suspended due to adverse weather conditions
Levante's La Liga match against Athletic Club was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch(Image: Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
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Liverpool loanee Ifeanyi Ndukwe was handed a blow after being denied his first start for Levante as their La Liga fixture against Athletic Club was postponed following heavy rainfall. Ndukwe joined the Spanish side on a season-long loan last month in order to gain first-team minutes following his arrival at Anfield earlier in the summer.
The 18-year-old made a great impression during Liverpool’s pre-season campaign, and is already being tipped for a bright future with the Reds.
Ndukwe made the move to Liverpool in the summer from Austria Vienna, with the Reds agreeing a £2.6million deal to sign the central defender back in January.
The teenager made the move to Levante before deadline day, and was named in the Spanish team's starting line-up to face Athletic Club on Wednesday night in La Liga.
However, just minutes before kick-off, the game at the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia was abandoned due to heavy rainfall, which caused the pitch to be deemed unplayable - and left the pitchside tunnel completely under water.
"The LALIGA EA SPORTS match between Levante UD and Athletic Club, scheduled for tonight at 9:30 PM, has been postponed due to heavy rainfall and the poor condition of the pitch," Levante’s statement read. "The new date and time for the match will be announced shortly by the official organisers.
"From 9:15 PM onwards, the storm intensified considerably over the Orriols stadium area, flooding the pitch. Due to the rapidly deteriorating weather conditions, the match was officially suspended at 9:30 PM.
"The Levante fans have been leaving the stands in an orderly fashion to take refuge in the lower levels of the stadium, where they waited for the intensity of the rain to subside so they could leave the premises safely.
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"Following the confirmation of the suspension, Levante UD's sporting director, Héctor Rodas, appeared before the media in the mixed zone to detail what happened on the pitch and explain the factors that made it impossible to play football, prioritising at all times the safety of the athletes and the fans.
"Levante UD deeply regrets any inconvenience this suspension may have caused to our season ticket holders and fans."
Ndukwe was expected to start the game for Levante against Athletic Club, but will now have to wait for his first starting XI outing for the Spanish club.
The teenager was unable to feature for Liverpool this season before his loan move due to work permit issues, and made the move to Levante in order to gain the required experience to be able to play for the Reds.
Ndukwe made a substitute appearance for Levante in their 4-2 defeat to Barcelona in La Liga earlier this month, which means the defender should now be able to secure a permit in the future.