Levante vs Athletic postponed in Valencia after rain
Was postponed minutes before kick-off in Valencia after heavy rain left the Ciutat de València pitch unplayable, with a new date still pending.
VALENCIA — levante vs athletic was officially postponed on Wednesday night after torrential rain made the Ciutat de València pitch unplayable minutes before kick-off. LaLiga officials and the refereeing team carried out the relevant checks before calling off the fixture.
The decision left both clubs without a match on the night and pushed the scheduling question to the league and the two teams. The new date and kickoff time are still awaiting official confirmation.
Official checks before the call
According to the reports, Athletic Bilbao arrived in Valencia expecting to play a La Liga matchday 6 fixture, only for the weather to turn the surface into a flooded pitch. Goal reported that the standing water made the ball unable to roll naturally, while the tunnel from the dressing rooms flooded entirely.
Officials first inspected the playing surface, then ruled it unfit for competition. The match was scheduled for a 9:30 pm kick-off, but the postponement came just minutes before that start time. One club statement, quoted by Goal, said: “It has been determined that the pitch does not meet the required conditions for the match to be played, and therefore the decision has been made to postpone the game.”
LaLiga authorities and the referee, Alejandro Quintero, were involved in the final decision, and the measure was taken to prioritize the physical safety of players and fans. The State Meteorological Agency, AEMET, had already activated an orange weather alert for intense rainfall across Valencia earlier in the day.
What the postponement means
The postponement has immediate sporting and logistical effects. Athletic returned to Bilbao without playing, while Levante lost a home fixture that had drawn attention because of the weather threat hanging over Valencia all day. For supporters, the short notice meant a trip, a queue, or a watch plan that ended without a game.
It also changes the rhythm for both squads. Athletic now has to wait for a replacement date, while Levante must reset for a match that had already reached the final pre-kick-off stage. No new kickoff has been confirmed, and that uncertainty matters because both clubs now have to work around other league commitments.
Goal noted that finding a replacement date should be straightforward because neither club is involved in European competition this season. The report also said open slots may exist after the upcoming international break and before the start of the Copa del Rey in late October.
That matters for fans as well as officials. A postponed match in a packed league calendar can affect travel plans, ticketing, and the flow of the season. This one also came after both teams had already completed their warm-ups, which made the final call feel abrupt on the ground.
Weather drove the decision
The rain did not just arrive. It overwhelmed the stadium. The report from Goal described how conditions deteriorated rapidly while both sets of players were warming up, and how the surface could no longer support play. LaLiga’s checks confirmed what the weather had already made obvious.
Levante and Athletic now wait for the league to set a new date. Until then, the clearest detail remains the one that stopped the match: the pitch did not meet the required conditions to be played.
Source: elcorreo.com
