Levante - Alavés: Carlos Espí brace hands Levante a crucial 2-0 as Coudet exit rumors swirl
The levante - alavés fixture ended in a 2-0 victory for the home side at the Estadio Ciudad de Valencia, a result that reshapes the relegation picture and arrives amid growing talk about Eduardo Coudet's future. The match opened matchday 26 of LaLiga and delivered late drama, a red card and a match-winning double from a 20-year-old academy forward.
Levante - Alavés: match overview at Estadio Ciudad de Valencia
Levante beat Deportivo Alavés 2-0 in the encounter that kicked off the 26th round of LaLiga. The decisive actions came after Alavés was reduced to ten men when left back Víctor Parada was sent off for a double yellow 15 minutes into the second half. The first goal arrived from the newly introduced forward Carlos Espí at 43 minutes of the second period (shown in standard clock as the 87th minute), and Espí added a second with a fine finish six minutes into added time (96').
Carlos Espí and the late Levante resurgence
Carlos Espí, a 20-year-old product of the club's academy from Tavernes de la Valldigna who renewed his commitment until 2028 this week, entered in the second half and delivered a brace that proved decisive. Espí replaced Carlos Álvarez at 56 minutes and finished the contest with two clinical strikes: the opener late in normal time and the second deep in stoppage.
Levante had shown intent early through chances from Iván Romero and Carlos Álvarez, the latter marking his 100th appearance as a granota. Alavés answered with opportunities of its own: shots from Ibáñez and Antonio Blanco and a series of stops and a goal-line clearance that kept the game level in the first half. Goalkeeper Ryan and defender Dela were noted for denying several Alavés attempts before the sending-off shifted momentum.
Turning point — Parada’s dismissal and tactical responses
The match turned when Víctor Parada received a second yellow and was expelled about 15 minutes into the second half, leaving Alavés with ten players. From that moment Levante increased control and pressure. The Alavés coach reacted by bringing Facundo Garcés on for Toni Martínez at 62 minutes, but the numerical disadvantage and mounting Levante pressure opened space for Espí to exploit.
Personnel details, substitutions and match officials
Key substitutions and timings from the game:
| Minute | Change |
|---|---|
| 56' | Carlos Espí on for Carlos Álvarez |
| 57' | Oriol Rey on for Ugo Raghouber |
| 62' | Facundo Garcés on for Toni Martínez |
| 68' | José Luis Morales on for Paco Cortés |
| 71' | Ander Guevara on for Carles Aleñá |
| 78' | Karl Etta Eyong on for Iván Romero |
| 78' | Iker Losada on for Kareem Tunde |
| 89' | Abde Rebbach on for Ángel Pérez |
| 90' | Carlos Protesoni on for Antonio Blanco |
Goals: 1-0 at 87' Carlos Espí; 2-0 at 96' Carlos Espí. The referee was Francisco José Hernández Maeso and the VAR official was Mario Mel. The referee's decisions, including the double yellow shown to Parada, provoked strong reactions from the crowd during the closing stages.
Manager situation — Coudet, River links and contract status
The clash unfolded against a backdrop of speculation linking Eduardo Coudet to a managerial vacancy at River as a potential successor to Marcelo Gallardo, who directed his final match at the Argentine club on Thursday. Coudet publicly swore "by his children" that nobody from the Argentine club had contacted him. Any club seeking to sign Coudet would face a contractual hurdle: Coudet is under contract with Deportivo Alavés until June 30, the end of the season.
What the result means for the survival race
The victory is vital for Levante's hopes of staying up. Levante sat antepenultimate with 21 points, four behind the last-placed side that, with an extra match played, would be safe today. Deportivo Alavés now has 27 units and stands only three points from the relegation zone. Before this match Levante had lost its previous four fixtures; Alavés had salvaged a couple of draws in its last four matches (this match included) and had also exited the Copa del Rey during that stretch. The late goals and the earlier goal-line denials underline how finely balanced the survival battle remains.
The levante - alavés result reshapes immediate priorities for both clubs: Levante gains breathing room and renewed hope, while Alavés must respond quickly to arrest a slide that now leaves the side perilously close to the drop. Match events and the manager situation remain fluid and may develop further in the days ahead.
