Levante
Levante have received encouraging news from the treatment room, with Adrián de la Fuente available again after recovering from his physical problems. The defender missed last weekend's 2-1 defeat at Real Sociedad, in which Nacho Pérez scored his first senior goal for the club. Luís Castro believes his side must find a better balance between their attacking approach and defensive organisation. The coach has already indicated that he will make changes to the team that started in San Sebastián, while stressing that his tactical structure depends on the opposition and the spaces available.
Dela's return increases competition in central defence, where Ifeanyi Ndukwe and Aïssa Mandi have recently played together. Nacho Pérez and Jeremy Toljan are alternatives at right-back. Enzo Bardeli is still recovering, leaving Jon Ander Olasagasti, Oriol Rey and Dani Requena as prominent midfield options. Roger Brugué will hope to reproduce the finishing that brought him two goals against Athletic Club. Iván Romero and Petar Ratkov are competing to lead the attack, while Karl Etta Eyong remains a useful alternative as his workload increases gradually.
Atletico Madrid
Atlético Madrid have the opportunity to extend their winning streak in LaLiga to seven matches. Diego Simeone's team have collected 25 points from their opening ten fixtures, with Julián Álvarez scoring the decisive goal in last weekend's narrow victory over Deportivo. Their impressive run has been built on greater consistency and an increasingly flexible tactical approach. Simeone has nevertheless warned that maintaining such form requires careful management of his players' workload. Koke and Johnny Cardoso remain unavailable, but Cristian Romero has returned to full training after a muscular problem.
Romero's potential return to the starting eleven could reshape Atlético's midfield. Marc Pubill may move to right-back, allowing Marcos Llorente to partner Pablo Barrios in the centre. Morten Hjulmand provides another option, with Simeone acknowledging that the midfielder is still adapting to his new surroundings. Giuliano Simeone and Álex Baena are strong candidates to occupy the wide positions. Julián Álvarez is expected to retain his place in attack, where Jonathan David, Lee Kang-in and Ademola Lookman are competing for opportunities. With Bayern Munich next on the European schedule, Simeone must balance continuity with the demands on his squad.
