Athletic vs Levante: prediction, H2H and probable lineups — February 8, 2026
On Sunday, February 8, as part of Matchday 23 in the Spanish La Liga, a true battle of character will unfold at the legendary San Mamés: Athletic Club will host Levante. Check out our detailed team breakdown and prediction for this clash.
Match preview
Athletic Club are living a double life this 2025/2026 season. On one hand, they’re delivering dazzling performances in the Champions League—highlighted by a thrilling 3-2 win over Atalanta in January—but on the other, they’re struggling through a prolonged crisis in the domestic league. The Basques are currently stuck in 11th place with 25 points, winless in their last five La Liga outings. The derby draw against Real Sociedad (1-1) last round offered some relief to the fans, but Ernesto Valverde knows full well: if you can’t beat the underdogs at home, you can forget about European football next season. The main hopes, as always, rest on the Williams brothers and Oihan Sancet, who are expected to break down the visitors’ defense with their pace and football IQ.
Levante, nicknamed “the Frogs,” are waging a desperate battle for survival. They sit in 19th place but have recently shown signs of life. Their January win over Elche (3-2) proved Levante still have some bite, and the winter signing of experienced goalkeeper Mathew Ryan has brought much-needed stability at the back. Athletic Club secured a confident victory in the first round, but this time Levante are backed into a corner—they have nothing to lose and will surely try to exploit the Basques’ fatigue after a packed schedule.
Tactically, expect classic Athletic: aggressive wing play and plenty of crosses into the box. Levante will likely set up a defensive block and rely on the brilliance of their players on the counterattack. For the hosts, this is a test of their credentials as a top-half team; for the visitors, it’s another do-or-die final in their fight for survival.
Probable lineups
Athletic: Padilla; Areso, Paredes, Lekue, Boiro; Vesga, Ruiz de Galarreta; I Williams, Gomez, Berenguer; Guruzeta
Levante: Ryan; Toljan, De la Fuente, Matturro, Sanchez; Martinez, Raghouber; Tunde, Alvarez, Romero; Eyong
Match facts and head-to-head
- In the last five meetings, Athletic have claimed three wins and there have been two draws
- Athletic have won two of their last five matches but have conceded in each of their last ten games
- Levante have lost just one of their last six matches
Prediction
The attacking potential both teams have shown, combined with their defensive frailties, suggests we’re in for plenty of goals. My prediction: both teams to score — YES at 1.95
