Villarreal will fight for three points in the rescheduled Matchday 16 fixture against the Granota side (Wednesday, 8.00pm)
Villarreal CF head into their first of two regional derbies this week in LALIGA EA Sports on Wednesday at 8.00pm. The Yellow Submarine will visit the Ciutat de València to face Levante UD in the rescheduled match corresponding to Matchday 16 of the league campaign.
It is a derby that carries a sense of opportunity for Villarreal who, despite their narrow recent defeat in Getafe, sit in third place and have the chance to earn another three points against Levante. A win would allow them to pull away from Atlético de Madrid, who also have 45 points, and from Real Betis, currently four points behind.
A dangerous opponent in a difficult situation
Marcelino’s side will not have it easy. They will face a wounded and dangerous Levante, who come into the match after losing another derby at the Ciutat de València, falling 0-2 to Valencia CF.
Curiously, Levante’s last win dates back to 23 January, when they played yet another derby, beating Elche (3‑2) in Orriols. Since then, they have earned a valuable draw against Atlético (0‑0) and suffered defeats to Athletic Club (4‑2) and most recently to their rivals from the capital of the Turia.
Although both Levante and Villarreal have collected four points from their last five matches, their league situations could not be more different. The Yellow Submarine are firmly placed near the top of the table, while Levante sit second from bottom, seven points from safety. They will try to close that gap in this match, which, if it smells like an opportunity for Marcelino’s men, is nothing short of a lifeline for Luís Castro’s side as they fight to move closer to 17th place.
A mixed record in Orriols
Although Villarreal enjoyed an excellent run at the Ciutat de València for more than a decade—winning six of their first seven top‑flight meetings there—Orriols has been a far more challenging venue in recent times.
The Yellow Submarine have won only two of their last six LaLiga matches at this ground: a 0-2 victory in the 2018/19 season and a dominant 1-5 win in the 2020/21 campaign.
The last meeting between the two sides came in the 2021/22 season, when Levante came out on top (2-0) thanks to a brace from Morales. The Madrid‑born forward would go on to wear the groguet shirt for the following two seasons: 2022/23 and 2023/24.
