As a former Amarillo, matchday 26 will prove to be somewhat conflicting for Giuseppe Rossi as he returns to his former club in a situation where only a victory will do for his current employers.
Having spent five seasons with Villarreal, the injury ravaged forward, on loan at Levante from Serie A side Fiorentina, will be welcomed back by the Yellow Submarine faithful but with the hope that their defence can keep him at arm’s length.
Rossi scored 54 league goals in his first spell in La Liga so the home support will know what he is capable of as he comes into the match with an important job to do.
Levante currently sit 19th in La Primera and are locked in a relegation battle. Having only taken 20 points from their 25 matches played, Les Granotes are in dire need of improved performances to remain in the league where they have spent the last five seasons.
Much of that now hinges on the performances of their on-loan forward. Having already scored twice in his five appearances, Rossi looks to be a step above his colleagues and while team success is paramount for the club, individual success will be on the mind of the Italian as he looks to rejuvenate his career.
Four seasons interrupted by injury have seen the forward’s star fall and this loan to Levante looked to be a way for the striker to prove he has still got what it takes in a top league.
Now standing in front of him is one of his former clubs who are on a run of 12 matches without defeat and are sitting on the cusp of Champions League qualification.
For Levante to have any success at El Madrigal, Rossi must perform and coach Rubi should be looking at this match as a winnable fixture having already triumphed over the Yellow Submarine earlier in the season.
On that day, a lone strike from Deyverson separated the two teams as Levante overcame their local rivals.
While Levante can go in with confidence gained from that win, the rest of their season has given their fans little to shout about. Tied on points with Granada in last position, the Frogs needed a change in the January transfer window and thus brought in Rossi who is already the team’s third highest league scorer with two strikes.
Villarreal’s defence will know the danger of the man born in the USA, but will look to continue their run of four consecutive league clean sheets.
Following the trip to El Madrigal, things do not get much easier for Levante as in their next four matches, they face three teams from the top half of the table, including Real Madrid, as well as Valencia, who currently sit in 11th.
If they are to turn their season around, that must begin with at least a point away at Villarreal and their ability to get that may rest on the home side’s former charge.
Rossi has already shown sparks of the brilliance that saw him leave Villarreal for Fiorentina in 2013 for €10 million but after four injury-ravaged seasons, questions have been asked as to whether he can again be the man that he was in yellow.
What better place to show that he can be the deliverer of goals than at a former stomping ground where he should feel at least a little bit comfortable.
His name will likely be sung by both sets of fans and that could prove to lift the forward and haunt his former club. If he is able to do that then he will silence the home crowd and lift all of the visiting support, spurring him on for more. Should he not perform, expect to see supporters in yellow continue to sing his name as he endures another tough spell.
At this point it is hard to see Levante lifting themselves out of the bottom three and escaping the drop, but if they are to do so it will be on the shoulders of Rossi. A win, or even a draw and his former home will begin that struggle up the table. Another loss, compounded by their approaching fixtures, will likely see the end of the Frogs in La Liga.
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