Osasuna vs Levante preview - Levante look for landmark win

Posted Sunday, October 30, 2011 by PA

Levante could become the first side in four years to win eight straight Primera Division games should they keep their fantastic start to the season going at Osasuna.

The league leaders came from behind to beat Real Zaragoza 3-2 in midweek and manager Juan Ignacio Martinez has said he just hopes the dream they are living continues for a little longer.

He told Europa Press: "The group has a lot of experience but they are enjoying their football more than ever before. It is a dream that we hope can last a long time.

"The match on Sunday is an important target for us because it is in a very difficult place to go and because now our opponents have extra motivation to beat us.

"Games at the Reyno de Navarra are always frantic and end to end. (Jose Luis) Mendilibar's teams always play at a physically high level and press you a lot."

Martinez will be without the suspended Juanfran so Asier Del Horno will come in to play at left-back. Nabil El Zhar and Javi Venta have also not travelled with the squad due to hamstring injuries.

Osasuna are unbeaten at home in their last seven league matches stretching back to last season and appear to have found the goalscorer they have been lacking in recent seasons in Ibrahima Balde.

The Senegalese striker made a great impression on his first start against Real Zaragoza last weekend and followed up that performance with his first two goals for the club in the 2-2 draw with Getafe on Wednesday.

Ibrahima however was disappointed to come away with just a point after leading twice in Madrid.

He told a press conference broadcast on the club's website: "I would have been happier if we had won and I had scored a hat-trick, but life goes on. I think (the goals) were the fruit of the whole team's work.

"Goals or no goals, I work Monday to Sunday to compete and we must keep working.

"It doesn't matter to me who scores on Sunday, myself, Nino or Kike Sola, the most important thing is that we win."

Ion Echaide, Masoud Shojaei, Roversio, Ricardo and Roland Lamah are all still unavailable through injury.