Defensive problems on both sides: Villarreal vs Levante prediction - 20.09.2026
Villarreal and Levante will meet on Sunday, September 20, in the seventh round of La Liga. The match at the Estadio de la Cerámica kicks off at 18:30 local time. The start of the new campaign has been difficult for Iñigo Pérez's Villarreal, while Luís Castro's Levante have been more productive in terms of points but remain vulnerable defensively.
- Also read: Deportivo are still unbeaten since returning to La Liga: prediction for Deportivo vs Sevilla
Villarreal: the attack is producing, but the results are not
Villarreal entered the season under a new head coach after Iñigo Pérez replaced Marcelino during the summer. The former Rayo Vallecano manager signed a contract until 2029, but his first weeks at La Cerámica have been complicated.
After five league matches, the Yellow Submarine have only two points, with two draws and three defeats. They have already scored seven goals, but have conceded ten, a clear indication that their main problem has not been a complete lack of attacking threat but rather the inability to maintain control defensively.
The trend has been particularly visible at home. Villarreal lost 2-3 to Deportivo La Coruña and then 1-2 to Real Betis. Gerard Moreno opened the scoring against Betis, while Iñigo Pérez also had Georges Mikautadze, Nicolas Pépé, Alberto Moleiro, Ayoze Pérez and Tajon Buchanan among his attacking options. There is enough quality to create chances, but Villarreal have repeatedly allowed opponents back into matches.
Levante: dangerous going forward, fragile without the ball
Levante have collected five points from their first five matches and sit above Villarreal in the table. Luís Castro's side have one victory, two draws and two defeats, with seven goals scored and nine conceded.
Their results already illustrate how unpredictable they can be. Levante produced an impressive 5-2 home victory over Real Betis, were held to a goalless draw by Málaga and then lost 4-2 to Barcelona. Even against the champions, Castro's team continued attacking until the end, with Iván Romero and Roger Brugué scoring in the second half.
There are also some personnel concerns. Etta Eyong has been recovering from an injury to the rectus femoris muscle in his right leg, while Hugo Sotelo suffered a right-knee sprain against Barcelona. According to Levante's latest medical updates, both players remain subject to their recovery progress.
Even without certainty over their availability, Levante have enough attacking options to threaten Villarreal. Romero and Brugué have already demonstrated their finishing ability, while Olasagasti and Enzo Bardeli can contribute from midfield.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Villarreal have scored seven and conceded ten goals in their first five La Liga matches.
- Levante have scored seven and conceded nine in the same number of games.
- Both of Villarreal's last two league matches at La Cerámica ended with both teams scoring.
- Villarreal have won four of the last five meetings between these teams.
- Their most recent meeting at La Cerámica ended in a 5-1 Villarreal victory in May 2026.
Attacking quality should expose both defenses: Villarreal vs Levante prediction
Villarreal naturally have the individual quality to control long periods of this match, especially at La Cerámica. Gerard Moreno and Mikautadze give Pérez different options through the middle, while Pépé, Buchanan and Moleiro can create problems between the lines and from wide areas.
However, backing Villarreal solely on their status as home favorites looks risky given the defensive instability they have shown. Ten goals conceded in five league matches is a significant number, and both Deportivo and Betis have recently found multiple ways through their defensive structure.
Levante are hardly reliable at the back either, but Castro's side have already shown that they can punish opponents when games become stretched. Seven goals in five rounds, including five against Betis and two against Barcelona, suggest that the visitors should have opportunities of their own.
With neither team looking particularly comfortable protecting its penalty area and both possessing enough attacking talent to exploit mistakes, an exchange of goals appears more attractive than choosing the outright winner.
Prediction: Both teams to score — Yes.
