Villarreal-Levante PREVIEW

Villarreal host Levante in an early (noon Spain time, 3 AM! west Coast of California time) kickoff at El Madrigal.

Jaume Costa is out, Adrian Marín returns to the 18.  Our squad is:

• Keepers: Areola y Asenjo.
• Defenders: Mario,  Víctor Ruiz, Musacchio, Bonera, Eric Bailly, Adrián Marín.
• Midfielders: Pina, Bruno, Trigueros, Denis Suárez, Castillejo, Nahuel.
• Strikers: Soldado, Bakambu, Leo Baptistao, Adrián López.

Nahuel returns to the squad as well, Rukavina being rested.

Levante have chosen the following squad:

Keepers: Mariño, Rubén

Defenders: Toño, Navarro, Medjani, Trujillo, Feddal

Midfielders:  Simao, Camarasa, Verza, Lerma, Cuero, Morales, Xumetra, Casadesús

Strikers:  Deyverson, Rossi, Verdú

All-time records: Villarreal are 6-2-2 at home, 7-1-3 away against Levante.  They defeated us 1-0 back at their place in early October; that was the match where Bojan Jokic was sent off after 35 minutes, and Deyverson scored a late winner.

We've won our last two home matches against Levante by a single goal; Vietto scored last year, two years ago it was Jeremy Perbet's header in injury time that gave us all three points.

Prediction:  This is a 'trap' game for Villarreal, to be sure.  A lot of energy and emotion were expended on Thursday in Naples, and the early kickoff is never something we like--we often play horribly in these early starts.

Levante are being picked to win this by whoscored, which kinda shows you people think we are going to come out and play badly with only a couple of days rest.  I don't necessarily think that, but it does seem set up for Giuseppe Rossi to score against us, doesn't it?  And if we give up a goal, can we possibly get two?  Well, I think so.  2-1 Villarreal.