Athletic Bilbao vs Levante preview - Susaeta progressing well

Posted Saturday, May 07, 2011 by PA

Athletic Bilbao have received some welcome news ahead of their vital game with Levante.

Both sides are chasing a Europa League place, but those ambitions were put into perspective on Thursday when winger Markel Susaeta was rushed to hospital after suffering a collapsed lung.

The 23-year-old winger fell ill during training after suffering a "spontaneous pneumothorax".

Susaeta, who scored his first goal of the season in last Monday's 2-1 away defeat to Espanyol, was taken to hospital in San Sebastian for treatment and was described by the club as "progressing favourably".

He will remain in hospital for another two to three days.

Seventh place in the Primera Division will be enough to ensure European competition this season thanks to Barcelona and Real Madrid contesting the Copa del Rey final.

And that is the place Athletic currently occupy, three points ahead of Espanyol in eighth and eight clear of Levante in ninth.

With just four games of the season remaining, Levante boss Luis Garcia knows three points is vital if his side want to keep their European hopes alive.

"We want to fight and continue to score points," he told the club's website.

"We have to play with the idea to win and score because you never know what will happen. We're going to Bilbao with the intention of winning."

Levante's hopes have suffered a blow recently with a 4-1 defeat at Atletico Madrid followed by a disappointing 0-0 draw at home to Sporting Gijon.

And Garcia has attacked the negativity which has seen some fans more concerned with relegation - they are only six points above Getafe in 18th - than Europe.

"In two weeks we have gone from playing the Europa League and now thinking that the team can fall," Garcia said. "It changes too easily."