Are the Murciélagos exacerbating their city rivals’ crisis?
Levante UD remain the only one of the 20 teams in La Liga not to have picked up a win in the 2021/22 season. The Granotes hold the red lantern with eight draws and nine defeats from 17 games. Now, of all times, they face the Derbi del Turia, in which city rivals Valencia CF are guests at the Ciutat de València. The Murciélagos, however, have only won two of their last 18 away games.
At least the momentum is right for the visitors, though, who have gone unbeaten in six successive league games and picked up 12 points from a possible 18. Nevertheless, balanced odds are available ahead of the derby between Levante and Valencia.
Although the Granotes won the last city derby so far 1-0 at home in March this year. In fact, it was the only derby win against Valencia CF in the last eight duels (three draws, four defeats). Accordingly, we find more value in Levante vs Valencia in tip 2.
However, as Levante have drawn eight of their last ten league home games, the possibility of a draw should be removed from the betting slip via “Draw No Bet”. Alternatively, the risk could also be mitigated by betting with a free bet.
Levante – Statistics & current form
Levante Unión Deportiva celebrated their greatest triumph in the summer of 1937, when they not only won the Copa del Rey for the first and only time in the club’s history, but also beat none other than their hated city rivals and current opponents Valencia CF 1-0 in the final.
Since then, however, those responsible have been waiting for further successes. Most recently, the Granotes (the frogs) have spent time and again in the second division, from which they were promoted again in 2016/17 as champions of La Liga 2 just one year after their last relegation.
Without a win in 20 league games season-long
After four seasons under Paco López, in which they have always managed to stay in the league, the signs point to a farewell in their fifth consecutive year in Spain’s top flight. Levante have not won any of their last 20 league games.
Even under López’s successor and interim coach Alessio Lisci, this unprecedented negative streak has not yet come to an end. Levante were even eliminated from the Copa del Rey in a penalty shootout against the underclass club CD Alcoyano most recently.
After all, Levante have only lost two of their last ten league home games
The men from Valencia are correspondingly ticked off in the run-up to the prestigious Derbi del Turia, in which the first three points of the 2021/22 season should finally come at the 18th attempt. With the team already seven points behind the leaders, it would be high time for that to happen.
In view of the fact that eight of the last ten home league games have ended in a draw, at least a point is not out of the question. However, as Levante have scored no more than one goal of their own in six of their last seven home games, the betting on Levante against Valencia goes more in the direction of the visitors, who are in good form.
Predicted line-up of Levante:
Cárdenas – Clerv – Pier – Vezo – Son – de Frutos – Campana – Malsa – Bardhi – Morales – Martí
Last matches played by Levante:
Copa del Rey
12/14 2021 – Alcoyano (3)3 – 3(1) Levante
LaLiga
12/11 2021 – Espanyol 4 – 3 Levante
12/05 2021 – Levante 0 – 0 Osasuna Pamplona
Copa del Rey
12/02 2021 – Huracan Melilla 0 – 8 Levante
LaLiga
11/28 2021 – Real Betis 3 – 1 Levante
Valencia – Statistics & current form
Valencia Club de Fútbol finished just 13th in the final La Liga table this summer. For the second year in a row, the two-time Champions League finalists, who were also in the last 16 of the top flight in 2019/20, thus missed out on qualification for an international competition.
Accordingly, the big objective for the new season was to return to the top six under new coach Pepe Bordalás – preferably, of course, directly into the Top Ver to qualify for the top flight for the 13th time.
Twelve points out of a possible 18 from the last six league games
The interim conclusion after 17 completed games is mixed. Between the fifth and eleventh matchday, the players from the Spanish east coast remained winless in seven consecutive league games and only picked up three points out of a possible 21.
In the meantime, however, the Murciélagos (the bats) are back in the upper third of the table. Recently, they remained unbeaten six times in a row (three wins, three draws). If they also manage to win against city rivals Levante and Espanyol Barcelona on the last two matchdays of the calendar year, they could actually finish the first half of the season in the top six.
16 of last 18 league away games not won
The Bordalás team’s weakness away from home is nevertheless problematic. The last away game at Celta Vigo was won with 2:1. However, the Murciélagos have failed to win 16 of their last 18 away league games.
An away record that is also reflected in the odds for Levante against Valencia. It is therefore difficult to talk of them being favourites, especially as the recent injury to Dimitri Foulquier means that coach Pepe Bordalás has to compensate for a total of five absences.
Predicted line-up of Valencia:
Cillessen – Lato – Guillamón – Diakhaby – Piccini – Duro – Wass – Soler – Costa – Guedes – Gómez
Last matches played by Valencia:
Copa del Rey
12/16 2021 – CD Arenteiro 1 – 3 Valencia
LaLiga
12/11 2021 – Valencia 2 – 1 Elche
12/05 2021 – Celta Vigo 1 – 2 Valencia
Copa del Rey
12/02 2021 – CD Utrillas 0 – 3 Valencia
LaLiga
11/27 2021 – Valencia 1 – 1 Rayo Vallecano
Levante – Valencia Direct comparison / H2H balance
Head to head: 8 – 8 – 20
The Derbi del Turia between the two Valencian teams Levante and Valencia has taken place 36 times so far and the Murciélagos lead the direct comparison with 20 victories. However, the Granotes won the last home match at the Ciutat de València with a 1-0 score.
Levante – Valencia Tip
For Levante against Valencia, the prediction must take into account that the Granotes are the only team in La Liga that is still winless. None of the last 20 league games has been won, which is why the tendency clearly goes in the direction of the visiting team. After all, Valencia CF are currently unbeaten in six league games in a row and come to the city derby in good form.
With only one of the last eight city derbies against the Granotes having been lost, it makes a lot of sense to bet on an away win for the Murciélagos. However, because eight of Levante’s last ten home games ended in a draw, the hedge should be a “Draw No Bet”. Finally, the visitors are missing a total of five injured regulars, which could also become a factor.