Friday, May 18th, 2012
In the latest of our team-by-team guide to the new season, Kieran Canning looks at Levante’s chances of avoiding the drop this season.
It was always going to be difficult for Levante to repeat their remarkable run in the second part of last season that guaranteed Primera football for another year. However, even considering the club’s size and budget, the summer has not been kind on Los Granotes.
Firstly, the bright, young, motivational manager who had guided them back to the big league and then kept them their against all the odds resigned to go and join Getafe’s Dubai-backed, “Team Dubai” project. Few could blame Luis Garcia for wanting to work with a healthier budget in the suburbs of Madrid, but his loss is hugely significant to a squad that bought so completely into his ideals of team unity over the past few seasons.
In his place has come Juan Ignacio Martínez from Cartagena in a move recognised by most as Sporting Director Manolo Salvador trying to recreate the magic of Garcia in hiring a relatively young but attacking-minded and, needless to say, cheap coach.
Martínez has had to oversee another summer of upheavel as 10 players have left and eight have arrived. The most significant departure being that of Felipe Caicedo who left for the riches of Russian football with Lokomotiv Moscow. It was also a good deal financially for Levante as they were able to exercise a clause in the Ecuadorian’s loan deal from Manchester City to buy him on a permanent basis for just €1m before selling him on for an original fee of €7m with an added €3m in variables.
Also returning to their parent clubs after loan deals have been Christian Stuani and Jefferson Montero, whilst another regular performer last season Xisco Muñoz has been released.
With last season’s two top scorers in Caicedo and Stuani gone the most fundamental question is who will score the goals to keep Levante up this season?
The club have renewed the loan deal of Wellington da Silva from Arsenal despite the fact the Brazilian wasn’t given too many opportunities in his six-month spell last season. Also bolstering the forward ranks is Carlos Aranda. Hoping for Aranda to replicate Caicedo’s goal tally is probably a pipe dream, but Martinez will be looking to use the former Osasuna forward as a target to allow the midfield to play off in a similar vein to the way the Ecuadorian was used last term.
José Barkero and Francisco Farinós will add a wealth of experience to the midfield and importantly Asier Del Horno and Xavi Torres have signed permanent deals with the club after successful loan periods last season.
Keylor Navas, Gustavo Cabral and Pedro López will also bolst the goalkeeping and defensive ranks respectively.
Expect this to be a tough season for Martinez’s men. Last season Levante’s spirit was summed up in one phrase that was pinned in various locations around the Ciutat de València (and indeed on the players’ t-shirts as the thanked the fans for their loyalty):
“La unión es salvación.”
It is going to take another Herculian effort of togetherness to save them again this season.
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