Preview: Levante vs. Osasuna - prediction, team news, lineups

Levante will be looking to stretch their unbeaten run in La Liga to six matches when they welcome Osasuna to Valencia on Sunday evening.

Paco Lopez's side will enter the match off the back of a 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final on Thursday night, while Osasuna recorded a 2-1 win over Eibar in their last league match on February 7.

Match preview

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Levante have left themselves in a strong position to advance to the final of the Copa del Rey, having picked up a 1-1 draw away to Athletic in the first leg of their semi-final on Thursday. The visitors took the lead in the 26th minute of the contest through Gonzalo Melero before Inigo Martinez levelled the scores just before the hour.

Lopez's team were not expected to push into the top half of the table this season, but a total of 27 points from 21 matches has left them in ninth position, just three points behind seventh-placed Real Betis.

The Frogs have not finished higher than 10th in La Liga since 2011-12 but will certainly have their eye on a potential Europa League spot, and they will bring a five-game unbeaten run in the league into this contest.

Levante recorded a 2-1 win over the champions Real Madrid before claiming a point at home to eighth-placed Granada last weekend, and they will be even more determined to pick up a positive result in this game considering that their next two in the league are both against leaders Atletico Madrid.

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Osasuna, meanwhile, will enter Sunday's contest off the back of an important 2-1 win over Eibar last weekend; Ante Budimir scored the game's decisive goal in the 86th minutes to hand Los Rojillos their fifth league win of the campaign, which allowed them to move up the table into 15th position.

Jagoba Arrasate's side are still very much in the argument when it comes to potential relegation candidates, though, as they sit just two points clear of 18th-placed Real Valladolid.

There are actually only four points separating 19th from 15th in La Liga, while Huesca in 20th are only six points off Osasuna, which is an indication of how quickly things could change in Spain's top flight.

The visitors have actually now won two of their last three in La Liga and have lost just one of their last four, but a tricky run will see them take on Sevilla and Barcelona in two of their next three after this contest.

Osasuna took four points off Levante during the 2019-20 La Liga campaign, but the Valencia-based side recorded a 3-1 win when the two teams locked horns in the reverse match earlier this season.

Levante La Liga form: LWDDWD
Levante form (all competitions): DWWWDD

Osasuna La Liga form: DLDWLW
Osasuna form (all competitions): WDWLLW

Team News

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Levante will again be without the services of Jose Campana due to a hamstring problem, while Nikola Vukcevic is unlikely to be involved as he continues to battle a back issue.

There is also a doubt over the availability of Melero, with the midfielder taken off in the early stages of the second half against Athletic on Thursday night.

Head coach Lopez will make changes from the side that started in the Copa del Rey, with Sergio Leon, Ruben Vezo and Aitor Fernandez all in line to return, but Roger Marti and Jorge de Frutos should keep their spots.

Osasuna, meanwhile, will again be without the services of Facundo Roncaglia, Chimy Avila, Jony and Ruben Martinez through injury, while Darko Brasanac remains a doubt.

Arrasate's side did not pick up any fresh issues against Eibar, though, and it would not be a surprise to see the same XI sent onto the field, with Budimir again joining Jonathan Calleri as part of a front two.

Jon Moncayola for Oier is an alteration which could take place in the middle of the park, but Kike Barja is again expected to keep out Roberto Torres to feature on the right.

Levante possible starting lineup:
Fernandez; Miramon, Postigo, Vezo, Clerc; De Frutos, Malsa, Radoja, Morales; Leon, Marti

Osasuna possible starting lineup:
Herrera; Vidal, Hernandez, D Garcia, Sanchez; Barja, Moncayola, Torro, R Garcia; Budimir, Calleri

We say: Levante 2-1 Osasuna

Osasuna have had much longer to prepare for this match and will enter the contest off the back of an important win over Eibar. Levante have proved very difficult to beat in recent weeks, though, and we just fancy the home side to edge a tight game on Sunday evening.