Levante - Alavés: Espí’s late double seals 2-0 home win as Coudet exit rumors swirl
levante - alavés ended 2-0 in Valencia as Carlos Espí scored twice late to turn the match at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia at the start of matchday Nº26 of LaLiga, a result that arrived amid persistent talk linking coach Eduardo Coudet to River.
Espí’s late strikes and the red card that changed the game
Deportivo Alavés was reduced to 10 men when left back Víctor Parada was sent off in the second half; one account places the dismissal at 15 minutes of the second half, while another records it at the 61st minute. After that moment Levante dominated and found the breakthrough through the recently introduced Spanish forward Carlos Espí at 43 minutes, and Espí then increased the lead at six minutes into added time with a composed finish, sealing a 2-0 victory for the hosts.
Levante - Alavés in the relegation fight
The match had clear stakes for survival. Levante sat second-to-last with 21 points, four points behind the last team that would be safe today with one more match played; another account notes that Levante moved to three points from safety after the win. Alavés arrived in Valencia with 27 points, three points from the relegation zone, so the result tightened the margins for both sides as the season progresses.
Alavés oversaw the first half but couldn't finish
Alavés dominated the opening 45 minutes, ending the first half with 12 attempts to Levante’s three. Lucas Boyé and Toni Martínez provided constant mobility and carried the visitors’ offensive threat in the first period. Goalkeeper Ryan produced two meritorious saves from Ibáñez and Antonio Blanco, while Dela cleared a shot off the line after a close-range attempt by Aleñá.
How Levante turned the game after Parada’s dismissal
After the sending-off Levante intensified pressure and Sivera repeatedly kept the hosts at bay until Espí’s late intervention. The home side had struggled to find consistent connections with Carlos Álvarez earlier in the match; Álvarez produced a near chance at 10 minutes and struck the post shortly after the restart, and later picked up an injury that did not prevent Levante from growing into the game. Alavés, in response to the red card, sacrificed Toni Martínez for Facundo Garcés as coach Eduardo Coudet reorganized to defend the point, and later saw Luís Castro bring on Etta Eyong and Iker Losada as the visitors tried to repel the sustained Levante siege.
Managerial noise: River’s interest and Coudet’s reply
While the result was decided on the pitch, talk continued off it: River has targeted Eduardo Coudet as a potential successor to Marcelo Gallardo, whose last match in charge came on Thursday. Coudet, known as "Chacho" and under contract with Alavés, swore "por sus hijos" in a press conference that nobody from the Argentine club had called him. Any club wanting to sign him would need to negotiate with Alavés, because Coudet’s contract with the Basque side runs until 30 June, the end of the season.
With the three points in Valencia, Levante takes a crucial step in the relegation battle and Alavés leaves the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia empty-handed; clubs and coaches now turn their attention to the coming fixtures and, for Coudet, the contract deadline of 30 June remains the clear contractual milestone ahead.
