Levante vs Valencia preview - Rami targets return to form

Valencia defender Adil Rami vowed to "get back to being a machine" after admitting he had not been mentally or physically right at the start of the season.

France star Rami has failed to hit the heights at the start of the current campaign, with Los Che winning just two of their opening six Primera Division matches.

The 26-year-old was also sent off in their opening Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich, missing their midweek win over former club Lille through suspension.

And he acknowledged he had paid the price for his exertions last season.

"There were many things that meant that I wasn't okay," Rami told reporters ahead of Sunday's derby at Levante.

"Last year, I played many games, then the European Championships and then I was injured for almost two months.

"All that takes its toll, but I have to get my body and my mentality together and I am going to get back to being a machine."

All will be forgiven if Rami can help Valencia win and he insisted being a foreigner made him no less determined to do so.

"Like every derby, this is a special game because there is so much rivalry," he said.

"We are going to show that we are Valencia, that we are a great team. We are going to fight."

Valencia will be without Sofiane Feghouli following his red card in last weekend's win over Real Zaragoza.

Rami said: "Feghouli is fine. I spoke a little with him and I think that three games is excessive."

Levante have made an even worse start to the season after qualifying for the Europa League and somehow threw away a lead at 10-man Hannover in Thursday night's Group L defeat.

They were also thrashed 4-0 at Osasuna in the league last weekend but midfielder Jose Barkero insisted form meant nothing ahead of a derby.

"A derby is always very even," he said.