7M - La Liga Preview: Espanyol vs Levante - prediction, team news, lineups

Espanyol host relegation-threatened Levante at RCDE Stadium on Monday, April 27, 2026, with both sides seeking crucial points in a tightly contested La Liga campaign.

The Catalan club currently sit 12th in the table, having failed to secure a single victory in 2026. Their last triumph came on December 22 with a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao. Since then, Espanyol have endured a difficult run, losing four of their last five league matches, including a 1-0 defeat to Rayo Vallecano most recently. This slump has left them just four points above the relegation zone and six adrift of sixth-placed Getafe, effectively ending their European aspirations for this season.

Levante, meanwhile, occupy 19th place with 32 points from 32 fixtures, three points shy of safety. Despite their precarious league position, the visitors arrive in promising form, having won three of their last four matches, including victories over Getafe and Sevilla. Their away record shows 12 points collected from 15 road games, suggesting they can be competitive on the travel.

In head-to-head encounters, Espanyol hold the advantage with 17 wins from 43 meetings compared to Levante's 10, while 16 matches have ended in draws. Levante have not defeated Espanyol since June 2020, with the Catalan side claiming three of the last five clashes, including a 2-1 win in the 2023-24 season fixture. The reverse meeting this campaign finished 1-1.

On the team news front, Espanyol remain without long-term absentee Javi Puado, while Fernando Calero faces a late fitness assessment. A positive boost comes with midfielder Urko Gonzalez returning from suspension and expected to start. Top scorer Kike Garcia, with eight goals this term, will lead the attacking line.

Levante will be missing Roger Brugue, Unai Elgezabal and Kareem Tunde due to injury concerns. Forward Ivan Romero is suspended after accumulating a milestone yellow card in their 2-0 win over Sevilla. Young striker Carlos Espi, who has netted eight times in 19 league appearances, remains a key offensive threat.

Probable lineups:

Espanyol: Dmitrovic; El Hilali, Riedel, Cabrera, Romero; Gonzalez, Terrats; Ngonge, Exposito, Dolan; K Garcia
Levante: Ryan; Toljan, Moreno, De la Fuente, Sanchez; V Garcia, Olasgasti, Raghouber, Martinez, Alvarez; Espi

With Espanyol struggling for momentum at home and Levante showing resilience on the road, this fixture promises a tense battle. Both teams need points for contrasting reasons: Espanyol to ease relegation worries, Levante to climb toward safety.

Prediction: Espanyol 1-1 Levante