Villarreal vs Levante Prediction, Betting Tips & Preview

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Villarreal

vs

Levante

KickoffWednesday 5 August 2026, 9:00am

VenueEstadio de la Cerámica

CompetitionClub Friendlies

Villarreal finally got their season moving last weekend and they will not want to let that momentum slip. The Yellow Submarine finished third in La Liga last season, so sitting 14th with five points from six games is not where anyone at the Estadio de la Ceramica expected to be at this stage. One win in seven is a brutal return for a squad with their quality, and the gaffer Inigo Perez knows better than anyone that this weekend is about backing that up, not just celebrating finally getting off the schneid.

Levante arrive in equally uncertain form. Luis Castro’s side are one place and one game behind Villarreal in the table but face the same uncomfortable reality of a start that has not gone to plan. A 4-2 thumping at Barcelona last time out will sting, even if you can point to mitigating factors against that level of opposition. This is a fixture where both clubs need points badly, which usually makes for an interesting afternoon of football.

Villarreal vs Levante Match Details

This La Liga fixture takes place at the Estadio de la Ceramica in Villarreal, with the Yellow Submarine playing on home soil for a game that feels increasingly important given the slow start both sides have endured in Spain’s top flight this season.

Team News

Villarreal have a couple of notable absences heading into this one, but there is also a positive selection story developing after the win over Malaga.

• Juan Foyth remains sidelined with an Achilles injury and will not feature
• Santi Comesana is expected to miss out after being forced off against Malaga with a knock
• Pape Gueye scored twice off the bench against Malaga and is now pushing for a starting spot
• Alberto Moleiro looks set to continue through the middle of the park

Levante are also dealing with a couple of fitness concerns of their own coming into this one.

• Karl Etta Eyong misses out again with a thigh problem
• Alejandro Primo remains on the sidelines with a shoulder injury
• Ivan Romero netted as a substitute against Barcelona and is expected to be restored to the starting eleven
• Enzo Bardeli should come back into the midfield for Castro’s side

Predicted Lineups

Perez looks likely to stick close to what worked against Malaga, with the main change being Gueye stepping up from the bench into the first eleven after his brace. Foyth and Comesana are out, so the manager has some adjustments to make in that regard, but the spine of the team that put three past Malaga should remain largely intact.

For Levante, Romero comes back in up front after his cameo goal against Barcelona, and Bardeli returns to add some structure in the middle of the park. Castro will want more defensive resilience after shipping four against Barca, and the recalled players should help bring some balance back to the setup.

• Villarreal: Gulacsi; Freeman, Navarro, Veiga, Cardona; Akhomach, Saliba, Gueye, Buchanan; Moleiro, Perez
• Levante: Ryan; Toljan, Dela, Mandi, Sanchez; Garcia, Sotelo, Bardeli, Brugue; Romero, Ratkov

Recent Form

Before that 3-1 victory over Malaga, Villarreal had been on a four game losing run across all competitions. That is the kind of run that starts to eat into a dressing room and puts pressure on everyone connected to the club. The win last time out was necessary not just for the points but for the confidence, and Gueye’s double off the bench gives Perez a proper selection dilemma in the best possible way. Having a player force his way into the eleven with a match winning performance is exactly the kind of internal competition every squad benefits from.

Levante’s form picture is slightly more nuanced. The 4-2 loss to Barcelona looks bad on paper but dropping points to the likely title contenders is not exactly a scandal. Strip that result out and Castro’s side have gathered five points from their previous four league outings, which is a reasonable return even if it is not spectacular. One win, two draws and two defeats overall in the league tells you this is a side that is more than capable of picking up points but has not yet found any consistency.

The postponed midweek game against Athletic Bilbao due to a waterlogged pitch actually works slightly in Levante’s favour here in terms of freshness. They come into this one without that extra load on their legs, which could be a small advantage in the second half if this becomes a physical, end to end contest.

Head-to-Head Record

History is firmly on Villarreal’s side when these two meet. The Yellow Submarine have won 23 of their previous 36 meetings in all competitions, losing just nine times. In recent La Liga fixtures specifically, Levante have lost six of their last seven against Villarreal, which is the kind of head to head record that weighs on a visiting side mentally before a ball has even been kicked.

That said, Levante did manage a 2-0 win over Villarreal back in April 2022, so they are capable of causing an upset here. But that feels like a fairly distant exception rather than the rule, and with Villarreal now at home and finally showing some signs of life after a miserable start, this looks like a good opportunity for the hosts to build on that positive momentum.

Key Stats

• Villarreal have lost six of their opening seven matches across all competitions this season, with their only win coming last time out against Malaga
• Levante have lost six of their last seven La Liga fixtures against Villarreal, a record that makes away wins in this fixture genuinely rare
• Gueye scored twice off the bench against Malaga and now steps into the starting eleven, giving Villarreal an extra attacking threat going forward

Villarreal vs Levante Betting Tips

Villarreal at home, with the wind in their sails after finally ending that losing run, against a Levante side who are struggling for consistency and carrying some injury concerns. The head to head record strongly favours the hosts, and the motivation to back up that Malaga win is obvious. This sets up nicely as a home win, with a few supporting markets worth exploring around goals and individual player involvement.

Over and Under Goals Prediction

Both sides have shown they can score but also that their defences are porous at times. Villarreal put three past Malaga, Levante conceded four to Barcelona, and there is enough attacking intent on both sides to suggest this will not be a shutout affair. Over 2.5 goals looks the sensible call.

Cards Prediction

With both sides desperate for points and facing a fixture with genuine pressure attached, there is likely to be some needle in the midfield battles. Levante tend to press and compete hard when they are up against it, and Villarreal will not be giving away easy space at home. Over 3.5 cards in this one looks a reasonable punt.

Corners Prediction

Villarreal will be pushing forward on home turf and looking to dominate territory, particularly if they go ahead. Levante’s defensive shape may invite pressure and force the hosts wide, which tends to generate corners in volume. Over 9.5 corners in the match feels achievable given how the tactical matchup looks.

First Goalscorer Prediction

Pape Gueye is the man to back here. He scored twice against Malaga and now steps into the starting eleven buzzing with confidence. When a player forces his way into the lineup with that kind of impact performance, they often carry that form into the next game. At what should be a reasonable price given he is not yet an established starter in most bettors’ minds, Gueye as first goalscorer offers real value.

Bet Builder Tip

A home win with goals and Gueye on the scoresheet ties together the key themes of this preview neatly, with the head to head record and recent form all pointing in the same direction.

Final Match Prediction

Villarreal are the better side on paper, they are at home, and they have the head to head record firmly in their favour. After a dreadful start to the campaign, the 3-1 win over Malaga looks like a turning point, and Perez will have this group primed to make it two wins on the bounce. Levante are not without their own threats, particularly Romero returning to the starting eleven, but they are the weaker side coming into this one and their away record against Villarreal tells its own story.

A Villarreal win feels right here. Not a hammering, but a controlled home performance where they do enough to see off a Levante side still searching for any kind of consistent identity this season. The scoreline to go with is 2-1 to the Yellow Submarine.

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