Levante CM -- A Journey to Becoming a Liga BBVA Mainstay

[m11jp]

Hello all. I am starting a new Career Mode now that I have finally found a set of sliders that play realistically. My goal in this series is to keep things as realistic as possible, with regards to a few things:

-For the first season, I will be using the real-life current roster for my squad, and will leave the initial transfer window off.
-I will play my home games on World Class and the away games on Legendary, 10 minute halves.
-Once it does come time to start making deals, I won't be taking players from any of the giant clubs of the world, because Levante would never get those players IRL.
-Also, I will mostly look at players in Spain, again because Levante doesn't have the budget to have multiple scouts out there all the time. However, if I would happen to travel to another country for a game, I will send a scout there for a month to find potential transfer targets.
-If I am successful and my goals start getting more difficult, then things may change.

So expect a simulation style in-depth career mode. I will focus on the appearance and layout of everything a lot so that it is easy on the eyes as well. There will be write-ups for all of the games along with some additional "special editions" every once in a while. I am an online student and have a lot of free time on my hands so I am going to really work to make this very professional. Because why not?? It makes the game way more interesting to me. Please stop by every once in a while and feel free to comment and give me your ideas. Let's get this thing going!

[m11jp]

[xicpanad]

This should be interesting, I really like these career modes with "smaller" clubs.

[m11jp]

Matchday 1 Preview

Projected Celta de Vigo Starting Formation:

Spoiler

Projected Levante Starting Formation:

Spoiler

[m11jp]

Stoppage Time Stunner
Simply put, the season opener was a La Liga instant classic.

• Striker Deyverson, who was looking promising in training so far this preseason, suffered a torn hamstring and will be out for the first 3 weeks of the season. He is currently doing gym work to rehab the injury.
  
  Victor Casadesús took Deyverson’s spot in the starting eleven. José Morales got a start as a left-midfielder. The rest of the lineup stayed pretty much as projected. The only adjustments were: Jefferson Lerma moved to the right side of the midfield in place of Roberto Camarasa and Zouhair Feddal started at center-back in place of David Navarro.

Celta Vigo brought a new look, powerful squad with them into Levante's Stadio Clasico Sunday Night. Striker Iago Aspas made his debut after a big move from Sevilla. Levante was playing pretty well in the early stages of the first half. Celta had a couple good-looking early chances, but Ruben made some nice diving saves between the woodwork. In the 40th minute Levante had a moment of brilliance. Jefferson Lerma made a great run past a few defenders and with Jose Morales trailing the play, Lerma delivered a perfectly weighted short lob pass at just the right moment. Morales settled the ball down with one touch of the right foot about knee-high and rocketed the shot into the side-netting farside. GOAL. 1-0 Levante. Then another great moment. In the 45th minute the referee pointed to the penalty spot, giving star winger Nolito a chance at a PK on an obvious flop by the Celta attacker. And Ruben saved the day again! Nolito tried the bottom right but was denied. At haltime the score was 1-0 thanks to Ruben's great effort in goal.

Casadesus would stay in the locker room for the second half after suffering an apparent shoulder injury late in the first half. Roger would replace him in the attack. In the 48th minute, Levante would finally make a dooming mistake. Wingback Tono had a momentary lapse of focus when he attempted a pass across the face of the goal just outside the box. Iago Aspas gladly fired a shot away and it found the back of the net. The new Celta man was gifted his first goal with his new club and boy was it a big one. In the 59th minute it surely looked like Morales was going to put Levante back in front with his 2nd goal, but Celta Vigo keeper Sergio made a great save on the shot that looked headed to the top right corner. Levante played with great passion the rest of the 2nd half and it looked like they were going to get a positive result with a draw against the bigger, better Celta Vigo opponent. But in stoppage time that would change. Out of nowhere, Nolito dribbled the ball just about 5 yards from the corner flag and delivered a cross past the on-ball defender. Then it happened. Levante captain Juanfran just barely couldn't jump high enough to head it away from danger and it instead glanced off of his head and took a single bounce in a very dangerous area in front of net. Fabian Orellana then left his feet, laid out in mid-air, and powered the half volley past the keeper to crush Levante's hopes of getting through opening night with any points.

[m11jp]

10-Man Levante Sputter Away From Home
Second-half sub Simão's reckless challenge proved costly.

Levante traveled to Las Palmas with a fully healthy squad for the first time this young season hoping for a strong showing. David Navarro started in place of Feddal at center-back. Las Palmas played with a matching 5-3-2. Would a stale game be in store for Levante and the newly promoted home side?

The answer to that question would be no. And we would find out quickly. In the 11th minute José Morales continued his strong early season performance, netting his second goal of the campaign off of a beautiful through-ball from Verza. Those two have easily been the two best players for Levante to start. However, the lead would be short-lived once again. Only 5 minutes would elapse before Las Palmas answered. A cross came into the penalty area and thanks to a nonchalant pass by our defender, Sergio Araujo headed it past the keeper. From that point on, it looked like Levante was a little rattled away from home.

Almost 20 minutes into the second half, manager Felipe Baraga made a move. In went Simão at center-mid in place of Verza. The thought process behind the move was that the youngster's energy would boost the team, especially in the midfield where possession was being lost too easy. The young lad only lasted 3 minutes before he made an incredibly costly mistake at the worst possible time: a reckless slide tackle from behind that put the Las Palmas player to ground. After that moment it was only a matter of time before Levante's weakened defense would let up. And that it did, in the 79th minute on a perfectly placed shot from the top of the box by man-of-the-match Araujo. The game would end as another 2-1 loss for Levante UD.

Mistakes have plagued Levante so far to start the season. And with 6th place Sevilla traveling to Stadio Classico, they will have to right the ship quickly. We are 1 of only 3 teams yet to come away with any points from matches in La Liga, with SD Eibar and Málaga being the others.

[Number999]

Really happy to see someone decide to do a La Liga dynasty! Also love that you're planning on keeping it realistic by usually signing Spaniard players only for the most part!

[m11jp]

Quote: Originally Posted by Number999

Really happy to see someone decide to do a La Liga dynasty! Also love that you're planning on keeping it realistic by usually signing Spaniard players only for the most part!

Thanks man. I'm enjoying it a lot so far. La Liga is such a great league. It just doesn't get as much attention as the EPL and Bundesliga do in the US. Be sure to keep stopping by to check for any updates and feel free to shoot me any ideas you may have.

Working on Sevilla recap now and I'm at Barcelona next.