Sabasports Match Preview
La Liga: Levante vs Villarreal
Kickoff Time: 2026-02-19 03:00 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/Thilo Schmuelgen
Levante is a newly promoted team in La Liga. Due to limited financial resources, the club has been unable to strengthen its roster significantly after promotion, leading to a loss of competitiveness in the league. Currently, Levante is in second to last place in La Liga with a record of 4 wins, 6 draws, and 13 losses, trailing the relegation line by 7 points, creating immense pressure to avoid relegation. Based on performance this season, even when playing at home, Levante has no advantages, as their home scoring is the worst in the league, having scored 11 goals and conceded 22, with the highest number of home goals conceded in the league, leading to a serious imbalance between attack and defense. This match will also be affected by injuries. Notably, defensive midfielder Kervin Arriaga, who has started 12 matches this season, is suspended due to a red card, and main winger Roger Brugué is on the injury list, meaning the team cannot compete with its strongest lineup. According to statistics, Levante adheres to a counter-attacking strategy, with an average possession rate of only 42%, ranking last in the league; their passing success rate is only 78%, also ranking second to last; they average 6.2 dribbles per game, similarly placing second to last in the league. The team has no tactical advantages and is clearly unsuited to the ball-dominant environment of La Liga.
Villarreal has seen a decline in recent league performance due to the impact of European competitions, with only 1 win, 1 draw, and 3 losses in the last 5 league matches, desperately needing a victory to boost morale. Now, after being eliminated from the UEFA Champions League and Spanish Cup, aiming for a top-four finish in the league has become the only objective for the season. So far this season, Villarreal has scored 44 goals in La Liga, ranking third in the league for goals, behind only the top two teams, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Among them, winger Alberto Moleiro is the team’s top scorer with 9 goals and 4 assists; center forward Georges Mikautadze is the second-highest scorer with 7 goals and 4 assists. According to statistics, Villarreal excels at midfield pressing and off-the-ball movement, averaging 9 interceptions per game, ranking second in the league; they average 10.7 tackles per game, ranking fourth. Many times, the team forms a defensive barrier in midfield; once their midfield is breached, they resort to tactical fouling to disrupt the opponent’s attacking rhythm. Historically, high-pressing and immediate counter-pressing tactics have had overwhelming advantages in La Liga. Statistics show that Villarreal has maintained a perfect record against teams ranked lower than 9th in the league.
Levante’s positioning is as a relegation-threatened team, while Villarreal is positioned as a European competition team, indicating a significant gap in strength between the two. Facing Levante, who has a poor home record, it is believed that Villarreal will not miss the opportunity to secure all 3 points.
Levante’s Last 5 Games: LLDWL
26-02-16 Levante 0-2 Valencia
26-02-08 Athletic Club 4-2 Levante
26-02-01 Levante 0-0 Atlético de Madrid
26-01-24 Levante 3-2 Elche
26-01-17 Real Madrid 2-0 Levante
Villarreal’s Last 5 Games: LWDLL
26-02-14 Getafe 2-1 Villarreal
25-02-10 Villarreal 4-1 Espanyol
25-01-31 Osasuna 2-2 Villarreal
25-01-29 Bayer Leverkusen 3-0 Villarreal
25-01-25 Villarreal 0-2 Real Madrid
Head-to-Head Record
22-08-04 Villarreal 3-1 Levante
22-04-02 Levante 2-0 Villarreal
22-01-04 Villarreal 5-0 Levante
21-07-30 Villarreal 0-0 Levante
21-04-19 Levante 1-5 Villarreal
Prediction: Villarreal to win away