MANISES, SPAIN — For third-placed Villarreal, this trip to the Estadi Ciutat de València represented an opportunity to maintain pressure on the top two. For Levante, languishing in 19th place with just 14 points, it was a chance to breathe life into their survival bid. In the end, Georges Mikautadze's clinical 57th-minute finish proved the difference as Villarreal ground out a 1-0 victory despite Levante's territorial dominance and desperate late siege.
The opening exchanges set the tone for an evening of contrasts. Levante, buoyed by home support and the urgency of their predicament, pressed high and controlled possession from the outset. Villarreal, comfortable in their role as counter-attacking predators, sat deep and waited for opportunities to exploit space. The visitors' defensive discipline frustrated the hosts throughout the first half, with goalkeeper Luiz Júnior relatively untroubled despite Levante's 59.3% possession advantage.
The clearest chance of the opening period fell to Villarreal in the 41st minute when Ayoze Pérez found space in the box, only to see his right-footed effort palmed away by Mathew Ryan in the Levante goal. At the other end, Carlos Espí tested Júnior with a right-footed shot from the right side of the box in the 34th minute, but the Brazilian goalkeeper was equal to the task. The half ended goalless, with both defenses on top and the midfield battle finely poised.
Villarreal emerged from the interval with renewed purpose, and their patience was rewarded just before the hour mark. In the 57th minute, Nicolas Pépé sparked a devastating counter-attack that carved open the Levante defense. The Ivorian winger's vision picked out Mikautadze's run into the box, and the Georgian striker made no mistake, drilling his right-footed shot into the bottom left corner past the helpless Ryan. It was a moment of clinical efficiency that epitomized Villarreal's approach—absorb pressure, then strike with precision.
The goal transformed the contest's complexion. Levante, already pushing forward in search of an equalizer, now threw caution to the wind. Paco Cortés and Jon Olasagasti orchestrated wave after wave of attacks, but Villarreal's defensive structure held firm. Ryan continued his heroics, denying Pépé's left-footed effort from outside the box in the 52nd minute, but the Australian goalkeeper's best work was still to come.
As the clock ticked into the final ten minutes, Levante's desperation intensified. Substitutes Karl Etta Eyong and Carlos Álvarez injected fresh energy into the hosts' attack, and the pressure on Villarreal's goal became relentless. In the 81st minute, Alfonso Pedraza, who had entered as a substitute for Villarreal, twice forced Ryan into saves—first with a right-footed shot from the center of the box, then moments later with a left-footed effort from distance. Ryan's reflexes kept Levante at bay, but the home side sensed vulnerability.
The match descended into a frantic finale as Levante committed bodies forward. In the 90th minute, Santi Comesaña picked up a yellow card for a cynical foul, halting a promising Levante attack. The referee's whistle signaled five minutes of added time, and the Estadi Ciutat de València erupted with anticipation. In the 92nd minute, Carlos Espí rose highest to meet Jeremy Toljan's cross, but his header was brilliantly saved by Júnior in the top center of the goal. Moments later, Ryan himself ventured forward for a corner, and his left-footed shot from the left side of the box flew agonizingly wide.
The statistics reflected Levante's territorial dominance but also their lack of cutting edge. Despite controlling 59.3% of possession and registering 16 shots to Villarreal's 15, the hosts managed just four efforts on target compared to the visitors' six. Villarreal's efficiency in front of goal—converting one of their six shots on target—proved decisive. The match was a fiery encounter, with referee brandishing seven yellow cards (four to Villarreal, three to Levante) as frustrations boiled over. Jeremy Toljan, Pape Gueye, Santi Comesaña, and Nicolas Pépé all saw yellow for Villarreal, while Toljan's 85th-minute booking epitomized the tension.
For Villarreal, this was a victory built on defensive resilience and clinical finishing. Rafa Marín and Santiago Mouriño marshaled the backline superbly, while Pape Gueye and Comesaña provided the midfield shield that allowed Pépé and Mikautadze to threaten on the break. The win keeps Villarreal firmly in the hunt for the title with 41 points from 18 matches, their goal difference of +20 underlining their quality.
Levante's plight deepens with this defeat. Rooted in 19th place with just 14 points from 18 games and a goal difference of -9, they face an increasingly desperate battle to avoid relegation. The performance offered encouragement—their possession dominance and 16 shots demonstrated attacking intent—but football is a results business, and moral victories count for nothing in the standings table.
The tactical battle was fascinating. Levante manager opted for an aggressive 4-3-3 formation designed to pin Villarreal back, with Toljan and Diego Pampín providing width and Iker Losada pulling strings in midfield. Villarreal countered with a compact 4-4-2 that morphed into a 4-5-1 defensive block, inviting pressure before launching rapid transitions through Pépé's pace and Mikautadze's movement. The visitors' game plan worked to perfection, even if the final scoreline flattered neither side's dominance.
Individual performances stood out on both sides. Mikautadze's match-winning contribution was complemented by Pépé's creative menace, while Júnior's late save from Espí preserved the three points. For Levante, Ryan's four saves kept his team in contention, and Jon Olasagasti's tireless running in midfield deserved better reward. Espí's movement caused problems throughout, but the final ball or finish consistently eluded the hosts.
The closing stages saw Villarreal introduce fresh legs to protect their advantage. Thomas Partey replaced Pape Gueye in the 79th minute, adding experience and composure to the midfield. Renato Veiga came on for the injured Rafa Marín at the same juncture, while Alexander Freeman and Tani Oluwaseyi entered late to help run down the clock. Levante's substitutions—Álvarez, Matturro, Eyong, Vencedor, and Tunde—all aimed to inject attacking impetus, but Villarreal's defensive discipline never wavered.
Brighter days lie ahead for Villarreal, starting with their next assignment. For Levante, the challenge now is recovering quickly and finding the clinical edge that has eluded them throughout this campaign.