Levante vs Espanyol Preview

These two teams are languishing outside the top ten of the La Liga table and are closer to the relegation zone than the top four.

This game offers them a welcome distraction from their league struggles however by the end of this encounter one team will be back facing their league campaign while the other will be heading into the Copa del Rey quarterfinals.

Levante enter this game as favourites thanks to their 2-1 away win in the first leg.

Their second half performance means Espanyol will be forced to do what they have been reluctant to do all season: attack.

Levante could look to rotate in this game as they keep one eye on La Liga survival.

They are currently 16^th in the league table with just 3 points separating them from the drop zone.

They have drawn 50% of their league games this season.

Espanyol have enjoyed a mini-upturn in their league results recently as they come into this game following back-to-back league wins over Atletico Madrid and Malaga.

They now face a busy run of 3 games in the next seven days which could likely see Quique Flores rotate his team for this match.

The Catalans do not have one of the biggest clubs and Pablo Piatti who was rested in the Malaga game could be looked upon to provide freshness to their attack here.

Results of each team’s last 5 matches across all leagues and competitions

Levante

LAST FIVE GAMES						DATE	COMPETITION
D	Levante		0-0		Leganes	19 Dec, 2017	Spanish Primera División
D	Sevilla FC		0-0		Levante	15 Dec, 2017	Spanish Primera División
L	Levante		1-2		Athletic Bilbao	10 Dec, 2017	Spanish Primera División
D	Málaga		0-0		Levante	1 Dec, 2017	Spanish Primera División
D	Levante		1-1		Girona	28 Nov, 2017	Spanish Copa del Rey

Espanyol

LAST FIVE GAMES						DATE	COMPETITION
W	Espanyol		1-0		Atletico Madrid	22 Dec, 2017	Spanish Primera División
D	Las Palmas		2-2		Espanyol	17 Dec, 2017	Spanish Primera División
L	Espanyol		0-1		Girona	11 Dec, 2017	Spanish Primera División
L	Eibar		3-1		Espanyol	3 Dec, 2017	Spanish Primera División
W	Espanyol		3-2		Tenerife	30 Nov, 2017	Spanish Copa del Rey

H2H

LAST FIVE GAMES					DATE	COMPETITION
Espanyol		1-2		Levante	4 Jan, 2018	Spanish Copa del Rey
Espanyol		0-0		Levante	13 Oct, 2017	Spanish Primera División
Levante		2-1		Espanyol	15 Apr, 2016	Spanish Primera División
Espanyol		2-1		Levante	15 Dec, 2015	Spanish Copa del Rey
Espanyol		1-1		Levante	7 Dec, 2015	Spanish Primera División