Malaga vs Levante

Malaga and Levante, two newly promoted sides, meet in La Liga’s fourth round on Sunday 6 September 2026, both still hunting a first victory of the 2026/27 campaign.

Team News and Injury Latest

Malaga head coach Juan Funes is without a sizeable chunk of his squad. Moussa Diarra (soleus), Fernando Calero (broken rib), Diego Murillo (cruciate ligament) and Aaron Ochoa (meniscus) all remain sidelined. Forward Adrián Niño is also out with a thigh problem, leaving the Blanquiazules thin on the ground.

Levante, by contrast, have reported no fresh concerns. Luís Castro is expected to keep faith with the XI that ground out a goalless draw at Osasuna on matchday two: Mathew Ryan in goal; a back four of Nacho Pérez, Aïssa Mandi, Adrián Dela and Manu Sánchez; Oriol Rey holding in midfield with Roger Brugué, Enzo Bardeli and Jon Olasagasti further forward; Thiago Fernández and Iván Romero in attack.

Recent Form

Malaga’s return to the top flight has been testing. They drew 1-1 at home to Deportivo La Coruna on the opening weekend but were beaten 2-0 at Atlético Madrid in midweek – a match in which they managed just a single goal across two games, 1 scored and 3 conceded.

Levante are faring similarly. A 3-0 defeat at Espanyol on matchday one was followed by a 0-0 stalemate against Osasuna. They have yet to find the net in the league, although keeping a clean sheet last time out will offer some encouragement.

Key Battle – Dotor vs Oriol Rey

Much of Malaga’s creative burden falls on midfielder Carlos Dotor. His ability to pick up second balls and release the forward line will be critical. Levante’s Oriol Rey sits deep and breaks up play expertly; if he can deny Dotor space, the hosts may struggle to build any rhythm.

What’s at Stake

A first win would hoist either side clear of the bottom three and inject belief ahead of a busy September. For the loser, the pressure ramps up quickly in a division where newly promoted sides often pay a heavy price for slow starts.

After this encounter, Malaga head to another promoted rival while Levante return home to face mid-table opposition. Sunday’s outcome could set the tone for the rest of their opening block.