Celta vs Levante: prediction, head-to-head stats and probable lineups — 12.05.2026
One of the fixtures of La Liga's Matchday 36 will take place on Tuesday at Balaídos Stadium in Vigo, where Celta host Levante. The hosts are still chasing a Champions League spot, while the visitors are clinging to their hopes of top-flight survival. This clash brings together two teams with maximum motivation: European ambition versus a desperate fight for survival.
Match preview
Celta approach the season’s finale as a team you write off at your own risk. After a painful April and Europa League exit, the schedule eased up and Claudio Giráldez’s side instantly sprang back to life: first dispatching Elche 3-1 with authority, then going away to stifle and defeat Atlético 1-0.
The main intrigue for the Celestes: do they have enough left in the tank to mount a charge for fifth place? They trail the Champions League zone by four points, but Celta’s football is looking sharp again: Moriba is back in the starting eleven to set the tempo in midfield, while Aspas and Jutglà give the attack much-needed variety. However, without Starfelt, the defense remains vulnerable -especially against crosses and set pieces.
Levante find themselves in a far more precarious position in the table, but the team received a psychological boost after a dramatic win over Osasuna. Down 2-0 by the 11th minute, the Frogs didn’t collapse - instead, they turned the game around and snatched a 3-2 victory. Matches like that often provide the emotional fuel needed to survive a relegation scrap.
The problem is that Levante’s home and away form are almost night and day. At the Ciudad de Valencia, they’ve won five of their last six, but away from home, it’s now seven matches without a win and 17 goals conceded in that stretch. The absences of Álvarez, Romero, Elchesabal, and Primo limit Luis Castro’s options, meaning extra responsibility again falls on Espi, who’s netted eight goals in the last ten rounds.
Probable lineups
- Celta: Radu, Alonso, Lago, Rodríguez, Carreira, Moriba, Sotelo, Rueda, Álvarez, Aspas, Jutglà.
- Levante: Ryan, Toljan, Adrián de la Fuente, Agustín Moreno, Sánchez, Arriaga, Olasagasti, Martínez, García, Brugui, Espi.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Celta have won three of their last four matches against Levante.
- Both teams have scored in four of the last six head-to-head encounters.
- Levante lead La Liga in goals from set pieces, while Celta are among the teams most vulnerable to conceding from such situations.
The Celestes have picked up only one red card all season (the best mark in the league).
Celta have conceded in the second half in five of their last six matches at Balaídos.
Levante have conceded in the second half in six of their last seven away matches.
Under 2.5 goals has landed in 10 of Levante’s last 13 home games.
Prediction
This match looks more dangerous for Celta than the table might suggest: Levante are deadly on set pieces and aerial duels - precisely where the hosts have a systemic weakness. Still, the overall balance tilts toward Giráldez’s men: back-to-back wins over Elche and Atlético, the home advantage, and Levante’s disastrous away run all give the hosts a clear edge. Expect Levante to find their moment - especially from a cross or a scramble in the box—but Celta should take the points thanks to better control and quality in the final third.
