Levante's return to La Liga has brought back to Ciutat de València a sense of excitement that had been held back for three years. However, the league debut couldn't have started worse for Granotas, who fell at Mendizorroza against Alavés by 2-1. With a squad still under construction and several key absences, Julián Calero's team showed competitiveness, but was far from their best version. Now, the situation changes dramatically with the return of their most decisive player.
The return of the offensive leader
Carlos Álvarez, the attacking midfielder who led the promotion with stellar performances, couldn't play the first matchday due to physical discomfort. The 22-year-old from Seville has completed training normally this week and was expected to start against Barcelona. In the end, he came on as a substitute in the second half. His return is a morale boost for a team that relied too much on Toljan, who scored the only goal in Vitoria.
The Granota "24" is much more than a playmaker. His ability to break lines, link up in tight spaces, and add goals makes him a game-changing footballer. Julián Calero knows this and has made it clear that as soon as Álvarez is available, he'll be undisputed in his line-up.
A historically uncomfortable Ciutat de València for Barça
Levante's stadium has never been an easy place for Barcelona. In the most recent league encounters, there have been matches full of goals and surprises. It's enough to look at the latest results: 2-3 in the 2021/22 season, 3-3 in 2020/21, a 3-1 in 2019/20, or the unforgettable 5-4 in 2017/18. Even in Copa del Rey, in 2018/19, the Valencians won 2-1 in the first leg.
These precedents fueled the feeling that Saturday's clash could be much more evenly matched than theory suggests. That's exactly what happened. Levante started by leading 2-0 against Hansi Flick's side, although Barça ended up coming back. It was a cruel defeat for the Valencians.
Other doubts and absences at Levante
Not everything is good news in Levante's camp. Olasagasti, one of the summer signings, remains doubtful. Calero explained that the midfielder "is fine, but hanging by a thread," hinting that his participation isn't guaranteed. Meanwhile, Koyalipou is dealing with an ankle sprain that kept him from training in the last session, while players like Matturro and Arriaga still haven't been registered. The squad depth, therefore, continues to be a short-term problem for the Valencians.
An opportunity to change the momentum... that was almost achieved
The defeat at Mendizorroza made it clear that Levante needs to recover key players as soon as possible. The schedule doesn't help either: facing Barcelona in the second matchday was one of the biggest challenges possible for a newly promoted team. They almost pulled it off.