Levante vs Valladolid preview - Martinez knows root of Levante's problems

Posted Saturday, January 26, 2013 by PA

Levante have not made the best start to 2013 with three consecutive away defeats ensuring they bowed out of the Copa del Rey and have fallen five points off the top four, but manager Juan Ignacio Martinez insists his players know where they have gone wrong.

Los Granotes have not even managed to score a goal in their last three outings and with rumours linking Martinez with a move for a striker in the next few days, he will try to bring in at least one new player before the transfer window closes.

"We need to go more steps to achieve the objective," Martinez told Marca. "The group is clear about the situation we are in and how the defeats have come about.

"They have determined players and it will be difficult for us. We are aware of this, but we are going to try and do it.

"It is not an urgent need, but we need the maximum number of players we can. Everything can be better and if we are capable of incorporating a new player, we will, but it is difficult."

Juanfran returns from suspension for the hosts, but Michel is now banned after picking up his fifth booking of the season last time out so Jose Barkero should return to the starting line-up.

Valladolid have enjoyed a fine start to the New Year with back-to-back victories over Mallorca and Zaragoza lifting them to within two points of their opponents this weekend, but manager Miroslav Djukic has warned against any sign of complacency from his side.

He told Marca: "The team has the desire to grow and improve. I see the boys ever more fired up, with a will to get better and I don't think there is any sense of them easing off. This would be very disappointing for me.

"Levante is a team that knows very well how they play and they infuriate you because they defend very well and, as soon as you leave spaces, they break very quickly on the counter-attack.

"Therefore, it is going to be necessary to have a lot of patience with the ball and be very attentive."

Patrick Ebert has been ruled out for up to a month after pulling his hamstring in the match against Zaragoza last weekend so Daniel Larsson seems set to start on the right side of midfield with Javi Guerra continuing up front in the absence of Manucho, who is on international duty with Angola at the African Nations Cup.