Levante vs Barcelona Prediction, Preview, News, Odds: 23/8/2025

Two years after slipping into the second division, Levante are back in La Liga but face an uphill battle to secure survival. Their return began with a trip to Deportivo Alavés last weekend. For much of the match, the Granotes looked set to claim a valuable point, only to concede late and suffer a 2-1 defeat. Now, with champions Barcelona visiting, it seems unlikely that Levante will collect their first points of the campaign.

Levante’s promotion came on the back of a remarkable season in La Liga Hypermotion, where they were crowned champions. However, the transition to the top division has already been complicated by injuries and administrative setbacks. Several recruits, including Alan Maturro (on loan from Genoa), midfielder Olasagasti, and goalkeeper Alfonso Pastor, remain sidelined. Another new signing, Koyalipou from Lens, has yet to be officially registered with La Liga and risks missing the first half of the season if no resolution is found before the transfer window closes.

The summer also saw significant departures. Veteran Vicente Iborra hung up his boots at 37, while Giorgi Kochrashvili moved to Sporting, Alex Forés to Oviedo, Ángel Algobia to another club after scoring two league goals last season, and goalkeeper Andrés Fernández joined Almería. Marcos Navarro also left for Valencia. To replace them, Levante relied mostly on loans, bringing in Manu Sánchez (Celta Vigo, formerly of Alavés), Toljan (Sassuolo), Víctor García (Eldense), Arriaga (Zaragoza), and young prospect Matías Moreno (Fiorentina).

Barcelona’s Champions League Ambitions

Barcelona began their title defense with a comfortable 3-0 win over Mallorca, though the game was shaped by two red cards for the opposition before half-time. Goals from Raphinha, teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, and Ferran Torres ensured a routine victory, maintaining Barça’s strong attacking average of three goals per game from last season.

Xavi Hernández’s squad enters the campaign with multiple objectives: defending their domestic crown, reclaiming the Copa del Rey, and finally breaking their decade-long drought in the Champions League, which they last won in 2015. The summer transfer market reflected these ambitions. Barcelona paid €25 million to sign highly rated goalkeeper Joan García from Espanyol, secured Marcus Rashford in a blockbuster move, and added promising winger Roony Bardghji from Copenhagen.

There were also notable departures. Clément Lenglet left permanently for Atlético Madrid, Pau Víctor joined Braga, Pablo Torre moved to Mallorca, and Ansu Fati was loaned to Monaco. More recently, veteran defender Íñigo Martínez departed for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

Despite their depth, injuries and registration issues remain a concern. Robert Lewandowski, Marc Bernal, Héctor Fort, and Gerard Martín are unavailable through injury, while captain Marc-André ter Stegen, new goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny, and Bardghji have not yet been registered with La Liga.

Probable Lineups

• Levante (expected): P. Campos – Toljan, Dela, Elgezabal, Cabello, M. Sánchez – García, Rey, Martínez – Iván Romero or Álvarez, Brugué
• Barcelona (expected): Joan García – Eric García or Jules Koundé, Araújo, Cubarsí – Pedri – Yamal, Dani Olmo or Fermín López, Raphinha – Ferran Torres

Prediction

Levante face a daunting challenge. Their squad, built largely on loans and without several key recruits, will need near perfection to withstand Barcelona’s attacking arsenal. The Catalans, even with registration issues and injuries, still boast enough firepower through Yamal, Raphinha, and Ferran Torres to unsettle any defense.

Barcelona’s away form has been entertaining if inconsistent, with both teams scoring in four of their last five league trips. Matches between these two sides also tend to produce goals—five of their last seven encounters have seen both teams on target. Levante may find a way to breach Barcelona’s backline, especially through set pieces, but sustaining that momentum across 90 minutes seems unlikely.

Prediction: Levante 1:3 Barcelona