The Football Faithful
·31 January 2026
Levante vs Atletico Madrid – Match preview and team news

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Yahoo sportsThe Football Faithful
·31 January 2026

Atletico Madrid travel to Levante seeking to bounce back from a shock Champions League defeat when they clash in LaLiga on Saturday evening.
Levante’s squad faces several injury concerns heading into Saturday’s clash against Atletico Madrid. Roger Brugue remains sidelined through injury, while Unai Elgezabal and Diego Pampin are sidelined for the fixture. Victor Garcia is also expected to be unavailable, further depleting Luis Castro’s attacking options.
Ivan Romero, Levante’s second-leading scorer who missed the reverse fixture earlier in the season due to injury, will be available. He has scored four goals in LaLiga this campaign. Mathew Ryan will continue in goal, with Jeremy Toljan and Manu Sanchez as fullbacks, while Adrian de la Fuente and Alan Matturro form the defensive partnership.
Atletico Madrid will again be without Antoine Griezmann, who continues his recovery from a low-grade hamstring injury sustained during training. The 34-year-old forward underwent an MRI scan, with his return dependent on the injury’s progression, though recent reports suggest he remains unavailable.
Giuliano Simeone is also unlikely to feature, as he deals with fever and was deemed unavailable by manager Diego Simeone in pre-match press conference statements. This absence will require tactical adjustments in the attacking midfield department.
Atlantico will deploy a 4-4-2 formation with Jan Oblak in goal. Marcos Llorente and David Hancko will feature as fullbacks, while Marc Pubill partners with Jose Maria Gimenez in central defence. The midfield quartet comprises Johnny Cardoso and Pablo Barrios in the centre, with Alexander Sorloth and Julian Alvarez leading the attack. The right-wing position is expected to be occupied by either Thiago Almada or Alex Baena, depending on Simeone’s final team selection.
Levante secured a crucial 3-2 victory over Elche on 23rd January, showcasing signs of improvement under Castro’s management. The home side has accumulated two wins in their last four matches, matching their total victories from the first 16 league games — a significant upturn in form for the struggling club. However, they occupy 19th place with just 17 points from 20 matches, sitting five points from the safety of 17th position.
Atleti secured a commanding 3-0 win over Mallorca on 25th January, moving them up to third place in the LaLiga standings with 44 points from 21 matches. The visitors triumphed with goals from Alexander Sorloth (22nd minute) and Thiago Almada (87th minute), alongside an own goal. However, they suffered a 2-1 Champions League defeat to Bodø/Glimt on January 28, 2026.
Levante: Ryan; Toljan, De la Fuente, Matturro, Sanchez; Martinez, Raghouber; Tunde, Alvarez, Romero; Eyong
Atletico Madrid: Oblak; Llorente, Pubill, Gimenez, Hancko; Gonzalez, Cardoso, Barrios, Almada; Sorloth, Alvarez
In the UK, Levante vs Atletico Madrid will be shown live on LaLiga TV, as well as Premier Sports Extra and Premier Sports Player.
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