Following a 1-0 defeat to Valencia earlier this week, Nottingham Forest remain in Spain for a pre-season friendly against Levante on Saturday.
Steve Cooper and his players are preparing for another demanding season in the Premier League, while Levante will play Segunda Division football once again.
Match preview
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Levante head into Saturday's friendly on the back of a 1-1 draw against Championship side Stoke City, with 23-year-old forward Alejandro Cantero scoring in the 22nd minute before Tyrese Campbell's second-half equaliser.
Javier Calleja's side have another pre-season against Greek club Olympiacos on the horizon, but that will be their final warm-up match as the start of the 2023-24 Segunda Division campaign draws nearer.
After suffering relegation from La Liga in 2021-22, the Frogs came agonisingly close to leaping straight back to the top tier, missing out on an automatic promotion place due to their inferior goal difference last term.
Despite finishing level with second-placed Las Palmas on 72 points, Levante were forced into the playoffs, notching a memorable 6-1 aggregate victory over Albacete in the semi-finals before losing the final to Alaves in extra time.
Naturally, Levante will have their sights set on another promotion push in 2023-24, but the competitive nature of Spain's second tier means that the Valencia outfit will have to remain consistent throughout the campaign.
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Nottingham Forest kicked off their busy pre-season schedule with a 1-0 victory over local rivals Notts County, but the Tricky Trees lost to Valencia by the same scoreline on Tuesday.
Following a goalless first half – in which key defender Moussa Niakhate was substituted due to a dislocated elbow – 20-year-old midfielder Javi Guerra scored the only goal of the game in the 47th minute.
After Saturday's clash with Levante, Cooper's side will contest friendlies against Leeds United, PSV Eindhoven, Rennes and Eintracht Frankfurt before beginning their Premier League campaign away to Arsenal on August 12.
It is no secret that Forest struggled to adapt to the demands of the Premier League after gaining promotion via the Championship playoffs in 2021-22, but their comeback campaign in the top flight ultimately ended on a high note.
Having secured their top-flight status by picking up positive results against Arsenal, Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion across April and May, the Reds will be hopeful of bettering last season's 16th-placed finish in 2023-24.
Team News
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Levante are still without long-term injury absentee Pablo Martinez, who missed the end of the previous campaign due to a cruciate ligament rupture.
Javier Calleja handed starts to the club's four new signings last time out, with Oriol Rey, Oscar Clemente, Adrian de la Fuente and Sergio Lozano featuring in the XI against Stoke.
As for Nottingham Forest, Moussa Niakhate will miss Saturday's clash after dislocating his shoulder against Valencia earlier this week, while Giulian Biancone remains on the sidelines as he continues to recover from a lengthy knee injury.
The Tricky Trees will also be without Morgan Gibbs-White this weekend, as the playmaker – who bagged five goals and eight assists last term – is getting some well-earned rest after playing a key role in England's European Under-21 Championship triumph.
Ryan Yates, Orel Mangala, Danilo and Remo Freuler all started in midfield for Forest last time out, but Steve Cooper is expected to ring the changes on Saturday.
Levante possible starting lineup:
Femenias; Grande, Selles, Franquesa, De la Fuente; Rey, Lozano, Ibanez, Clemente; Cantero, Brugue
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Shelvey; Worrall, McKenna, Boly, Williams; Yates, Mangala, Kouyate; Mighten, Hwang, Danilo
We say: Levante 1-1 Nottingham Forest
If Nottingham Forest's recent pre-season friendly results are anything to go by, Saturday's clash with Levante should be a low-scoring contest.
Given that both managers will likely give minutes to a host of players, we can see Levante and Forest playing out a disjointed stalemate under the Spanish sun.
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Ben Morris
