Preview: Celta Vigo vs. Levante - prediction, team news, lineups

Celta Vigo are still not assured of La Liga safety as they prepare for the visit of mid-table Levante on Thursday evening.

The Celts are winless in five matches and have a four-point buffer on the dropzone with two games to go, while Levante are without a win in four and have slipped to 12th.

Match preview

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Celta's form since June's restart has been incredibly mixed to say the least, best summed up by a 6-0 win over Alaves being followed up by a 5-1 loss at Mallorca a week later.

Add a dramatic 2-2 draw with Barcelona and 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid into the equation and you begin to wonder how Oscar Garcia 's side find themselves in this situation.

Saturday's 2-1 loss to Osasuna - a game they took the lead in only to chuck away a share of the spoils in the 91st minute - leaves them with work to do if they are to stay up.

Leganes and Mallorca are four points worse off and may not pick up another point, of course, but Celta will not fancy relying on other results to retain their top-flight status.

With already-relegated Espanyol to come on the final day, the Celts will be confident of picking up the one win needed from their final two matches.

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They have only lost one of their last 11 league games at Balaidos - 1-0 against Villarreal on June 13 - taking points off Barca and Atletico there over the past few weeks.

Levante have lost six and drawn two of their last nine away La Liga matches, meanwhile, and are winless in four overall since beating Real Betis at the end of last month.

With 11th the highest they can finish in the table, and relegation long out of the equation, Paco Lopez 's side may already have one eye on next season.

A point may also prove enough for Celta to relegate Mallorca and Leganes, and they have become experts in that regard this term, drawing 15 league matches - one away from equalling their record of 16 in a single top-flight campaign.

Celta Vigo's La Liga form: WDLDDL

Levante's La Liga form: LWDDLL

Team News

Celta have Jeison Murillo back from suspension for this match and he is expected to slot back into defence alongside Nestor Araujo.

Ruben Blanco is one of four confirmed absentees for the hosts, however, while Fedor Smolov is doubtful, so Garcia will be prevented from naming his strongest XI.

Santi Mina appears certain to lead the line, the Spanish striker boasting four goal involvements in four La Liga meetings with Levante.

As for the visitors, Ivan Lopez is their only confirmed absentee for Thursday's match at Balaidos.

Lopez may be tempted to make some changes, though, with Roger Marti pushing for inclusion in place of Borja Mayoral.

Striker Jose Luis Morales has scored five league goals against Celta, including a brace in the reverse fixture - against no side has he scored more in the competition.

Celta Vigo possible starting lineup:

Villar; Mallo, Araujo, Murillo, Olaza; Yokuslu, Beltran; Aspas, Rafinha, Nolito; Mina

Levante possible starting lineup:

Fernandez; Miramon, Vezo, Postigo, Tono; Rochina, Campana, Vukcevic, Bardhi; Marti, Morales

We say: Celta Vigo 3-2 Levante

The last three La Liga meetings between Celta and Levante have seen a total of 18 goals - six per game - so this could be an entertaining contest. Celta have far more riding on this game than Levante and we can see them picking up the win needed to make certain of survival.