Can Athletic punish Levante’s defensive instability? Levante vs Athletic Club prediction – 21.10.2026
Levante and Athletic Club meet at the Ciutat de València on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 20:00 local time in a rescheduled La Liga Matchday 6 fixture. The game was originally due to be played on September 16 but was postponed because adverse weather left the pitch unplayable. Levante enter the match sitting 17th, while Athletic are ninth and looking to turn their recent defensive stability into three points.
Levante: plenty of character, but defensive problems remain
Luís Castro's side have shown impressive resilience in their last two matches. Levante produced a remarkable late comeback to draw 3-3 with Sevilla, before earning another point away to Deportivo with Dani Requena scoring the equaliser in the closing stages of a 1-1 draw.
Those results underline both sides of Levante's season. They are capable of creating chances and have scored 12 league goals, but keeping games under control remains a major problem. With 16 goals conceded in eight matches and only one league victory so far, the Valencian club have repeatedly been forced to chase matches rather than dictate them.
Iván Romero remains one of the main threats in the final third, while Roger Brugué and Thiago Fernández give Castro pace and movement around him. Requena's ability to arrive from midfield also gives Levante another route to goal. However, Castro has been working with some personnel problems: Hugo Sotelo and Andrés Fernández “Primo” were unavailable for the latest trip to Deportivo, while Etta Eyong was also absent from that matchday squad.
At the Ciutat de València, Levante are unlikely to simply sit deep. Their best spells this season have come when they increase the tempo and commit numbers forward, but that approach also creates spaces behind the midfield — exactly the kind of areas Athletic can exploit in transition.
Athletic Club: the defence is working, now the attack must respond
Athletic arrive in Valencia unbeaten in their last five La Liga matches. During that run, they have defeated Celta and Atlético Madrid before drawing with Elche, Alavés and Valencia. Most importantly, Edin Terzić's team have conceded only once across those five league games.
The latest 0-0 draw at Valencia was another example of their current strengths and weaknesses. Athletic looked organised without the ball and Unai Simón was reliable when required, but the team struggled to turn possession into clear opportunities. Terzić admitted afterwards that his side created situations without producing enough genuine chances in the final third.
Their attacking options are also affected by fitness issues. Nico Williams has been recovering from a thigh muscle injury and Oihan Sancet from a calf problem; both missed the Valencia match. Gorka Guruzeta then picked up a knock shortly after coming on at Mestalla and had to be replaced, making his condition another point to monitor ahead of Wednesday.
Even without several important attacking players, Athletic still have enough quality to hurt Levante. Iñaki Williams can stretch a high defensive line, while Álex Berenguer and Robert Navarro offer mobility between the lines. Against a side that has already conceded 16 times, Athletic may not need a huge number of opportunities to make the difference.
Possible lineups
- Levante: Ryan; Nacho Pérez, Dela, Ndukwe, Manu Sánchez; Dani Requena, Oriol Rey, Bardeli; Roger Brugué, Iván Romero, Thiago Fernández.
- Athletic Club: Unai Simón; Areso, Paredes, Laporte, Yuri; Ruiz de Galarreta, Jauregizar; Robert Navarro, Peio Canales, Álex Berenguer; Iñaki Williams.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Levante have won only one of their first eight league matches this season.
- Levante have scored 12 goals but conceded 16.
- Athletic are unbeaten in five consecutive La Liga matches and have conceded only once during that sequence.
- Athletic have won the last three meetings between the clubs.
- Overall, Athletic have won 22 of the 38 official meetings, compared with eight victories for Levante and eight draws.
Athletic’s structure can make the difference: Levante vs Athletic Club prediction
Levante have enough attacking quality to make this uncomfortable, especially at home. Their recent comebacks against Sevilla and Deportivo show that Castro's team will continue fighting even when a match turns against them. But the same games also exposed a recurring issue: Levante allow opponents too many opportunities and rarely manage to maintain defensive control for the full 90 minutes.
Athletic are far from spectacular in attack at the moment, especially with Nico Williams and Sancet sidelined recently, but their defensive structure gives them a clear advantage in this matchup. Terzić's side have become extremely difficult to break down, and their pace in transition should be particularly dangerous against an adventurous Levante team. Add Athletic's three consecutive victories in this head-to-head, and the visitors look capable of edging a tight contest.
Prediction: Athletic Club to win.
