Levante vs Sevilla preview: García Plaza returns as unbeaten-away Sevilla visit

Luis García Plaza returns to the Ciutat de València on Monday night as his Sevilla side, fifth in La Liga and still unbeaten away from home, visit a Levante team looking to climb away from the bottom three.

Kick-off is 20:00 UK (21:00 local) in the game that closes Matchday 8 and brings both clubs back into action after a break of more than three weeks. Sevilla have 13 points from seven matches (four wins, one draw, two defeats). Levante are 18th on five points from six games, with one win and two draws.

Sevilla's strong road record

Sevilla have taken two wins and a draw from their three away games, according to Levante's official preview. Levante coach Luís Castro highlighted that record on Sunday: "They haven't lost away, they are very comfortable playing as visitors." He also described Sevilla as "one of the strongest in duels, one of the teams that crosses the most".

Their last outing ended a three-match unbeaten run. Leaders Barcelona won 3-1 at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán on 19 September, with Raphinha scoring a hat-trick after Youssouf Fofana had given Sevilla a 19th-minute lead.

Levante looking for a lift

Levante also lost their last game, going down 3-1 at Villarreal on 20 September. Iván Romero levelled with a bicycle kick just before half-time, but Alberto Moleiro and Georges Mikautadze scored in the second half to settle it.

Castro said the break had given his side time "to recover some players who were dealing with discomfort", and warned: "It's going to be a very tough match; we have to be at our best level." Sevilla's club preview reports that Levante will be without the injured Etta Eyong and Hugo Sotelo, while goalkeeper Alejandro Primo is a doubt with a shoulder problem.

García Plaza was generous about the hosts. "I think they have fewer points than they have deserved," he said, calling Levante a very dynamic team with very committed supporters.

Sevilla team news

Sevilla have named a 24-man squad. Kike Salas is fully recovered, according to the club, and Rubén Vargas is back for the first time since the opening matchday against Rayo Vallecano. García Plaza said Vargas is not ready to start and could come on depending on how the game develops. Fábio Cardoso earns his first call-up of the season. Lucas Stassin and Marcao remain injured, and academy players Iker Muñoz and Nico Guillén also miss out.

Familiar faces in Orriols

García Plaza coached Levante from 2008 to 2011 and led them back to the top flight in 2010. "There were three really lovely years in which we won promotion," he told reporters. Midfielder Giorgi Kochorashvili, who was a key part of Levante's 2024-25 promotion side, joined Sevilla in August, while Romero came through Sevilla's academy.

Sevilla lead the top-flight head-to-head at Levante with eight wins to Levante's five, with four draws, from 17 meetings. The most recent one went Levante's way, 2-0 on 23 April, thanks to a Romero brace. García Plaza called it "the worst game of last year" but said there was no desire for revenge.

Adrián Cordero Vega will referee the match.