This Saturday, Levante and Barça face each other in the second matchday of Liga EA Sports. The home team didn't succeed at any point, while the blaugranas had a comfortable debut against an opponent that ended up with 9 players.
How Levante UD arrive
The "Granota" team approach this second league match after losing the first one against Alavés in the final minutes of the game. The Valencian side still have some issues registering players, and the squad is far from finalized. As a curiosity, both teams will play on the new turf at Ciutat, since there has been a change compared to what was used during the play-offs.
Calero, Levante's coach, acknowledges that they are facing a great team, but he is positive and trusts they can get through it. He was asked about the playing system and clarified that it's not a matter of formation, but of how they position themselves on the field. Regarding the transfer market, he confirmed that several pieces are missing (including a goalkeeper) and that possibly some player will leave.
As for the starting XI, Calero will stick with that five-man defense, using two wing-backs who will get forward and also help in defense. The good news is that Olasagasti has recovered for the match, although he isn't at 100%. One of the most talented players in the squad, Carlos Álvarez, is still in the process of recovering from his pubic injury.
How FC Barcelona arrive
Barça arrive at Ciutat after securing their first win of the season, with a better first 45 minutes than the second. They come into the match with no absences, except for those already known because they aren't yet registered (Szczesny, Gerard Martín, and Roony). The record from the last 5 matches against Levante at their stadium is 2 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses.
In the pre-match press conference, the German coach assures that he doesn't want any player to leave, that he needs all of them, since it will be a long and demanding season. He also commented that he isn't concerned about playing at home or not, that he's only focused on the opponent in front of him. Finally, he hopes that Gerard Martín will be available for tomorrow and that the second half played against Mallorca won't be repeated.
As for the starting XI, there won't be many changes compared to the line-up that won at Son Moix last Saturday. One who could drop out is De Jong, who after missing several sessions (due to the birth of his child) opens up the possibility for Gavi or Casadó to play there. Another who could come in is Koundé, replacing Eric García, and up front everything remains the same, except for the attacking midfielder position.
There, once again, is Fermín, who already started against Mallorca, or Dani Olmo, fully recovered from his last muscle injury.
Match data
Stadium: Ciutat de València (27,950 spectators) (25,532 espectadores)
Time: 9:30 p.m. (peninsular time)
Referee: Alejandro José Hernández Hernández
Fact: In the 2017/2018 season, Levante was the only team in the league that managed to beat Messi's Barça and company.