Defending champions Barcelona will look to build on their matchday 1 triumph when they hit the road to face Levante.
Newly promoted Levante kicked off the new campaign with a defeat, and they will be hoping to bounce back when they host Hansi Flick’s Barcelona, who sit top of the table after the opening matchday.
Levante secured promotion back to the top flight by winning the second division. They faced Deportivo Alaves in their season opener and put up a strong fight, only to be denied a point by a stoppage-time strike from Nahuel Tenaglia.
Now, Levante will be aiming to collect their first points of the season when they host Barcelona. However, the difference in quality between the two squads is significant, and it will be far from easy for Levante.
The visitors began their title defence in style with a 3-0 win over RCD Mallorca. Still, Hansi Flick was not entirely pleased with the performance after RCD Mallorca were reduced to nine men. While Barcelona dominated possession, they were not clinical enough in the final third.
Flick will demand a sharper display from his team when they travel to face Levante. While the Catalan giants are outright favourites, they cannot afford to take anything for granted. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and predicts the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Levante
The home team will be without the services of Alfonso Pastor. Meanwhile, Jon Ander Olasagasti, Kervin Arriaga, Goduine Koyalipou, and Alan Matturro are all major doubts for this fixture.
Levante will line up in a 3-4-1-2 formation, where Pablo Campos will be in goal. Unai Elgezabal, Adrian de la Fuente and Jorge Cabello will form the three-man defence.
Jeremy Toljan and Manu Sanchez will feature as the wing-backs. The duo will look to support the backline in wide areas. Meanwhile, Sergio Lozano and Oriol Rey will feature in a more central role in midfield. Pablo Martinez will take up the number ten role, while Ivan Romero will partner with Roger Brugue in the final third.
Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Campos; Elgezabal, Fuente, Cabello; Toljan, Lozano, Rey, Sanchez; Martinez; Romero, Brugue
Levante vs Barcelona Predicted XI
Barcelona
Marc-Andre ter Stegen remains on the sidelines for the visitors. While Robert Lewandowski has trained with the team and could be a part of the squad, the veteran Polish striker is unlikely to be risked here.
Meanwhile, Wojciech Szczesny, Gerard Martin, and Roony Bardghji will not take part in this fixture as they are yet to be registered. Jules Kounde coming back into the XI might be the only change Flick makes.
Against Levante, Barcelona will line up in the 4-3-3 formation, where Joan Garcia will take charge in goal. Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde will be the full-backs, while Ronald Araujo will pair up with Pau Cubarsi in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Pedri will form the double pivot with Frenkie de Jong the centre of the park. The duo will not only shield the backline but also look to control the tempo.
Fermin Lopez should continue in the number ten role ahead of Dani Olmo. Meanwhile, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha will feature on the flanks. Finally, Ferran Torres will lead the line for Barcelona against Levante, with Marcus Rashford an option on the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Garcia; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Balde; Pedri, de Jong; Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha; Torres
Levante vs Barcelona Predicted XI
Key Stats
Levante will be looking to make it back-to-back seasons in La Liga for the first time since 2022.
The Frogs have won just six out of their last 45 matches against the Catalan giants.
The last meeting between the two teams ended 3-2 in favour of Barcelona, which took place back in April 2022.
Levante last won a game against Barcelona back in November 2019.
Barcelona scored 102 league goals last time out. Having added Marcus Rashford to their squad, they will be aiming to go past that this time out.
Player to Watch
Raphinha
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Raphinha has been in the form of his life over the last 12 months. Last season, he was one of the go-to men for Hansi Flick. The Brazilian international finished with 34 goals and 25 assists in his 57 outings. He will be eager to put up similar performances this time around as well.
The 28-year-old has had an impressive start to the new season as he bagged a goal in their opening fixture. Given the kind of form he has been in, it won’t be much of a surprise if he manages to find the back of the net again.
Prediction
Levante 0-4 Barcelona
Barcelona head into this clash as overwhelming favourites, and they will be confident of securing back-to-back wins to start their title defence. Despite Hansi Flick’s criticism after the game against RCD Mallorca, the Catalan giants still showcased their quality and attacking depth.
Levante, on the other hand, will look to frustrate the visitors and take their chances on the counter, but the gulf in quality is hard to ignore. With Barcelona expected to dominate possession and dictate the tempo, Levante could struggle to keep them out for long. The Hard Tackle predicts an easy 4-0 win for the visitors.