The 2017–18 season of Levante UD Femenino was the 19th season of the women's team of football club Levante UD. The team was 8th in Primera División and a quarterfinalist in the Copa de la Reina.
Season summary Levante had ended the previous season's championship in the 4th position, same as in 2015–16, ending the league campaign on a positive note by defeating Barcelona, which needed a victory and an Atlético Madrid miss to win the title, after a 4-game away losing streak including a record 6–0 defeat against local rival Valencia in Mestalla before an attendance of 17,000.Valencia wins by a landslide in a historical women's derby before 17,000 spectators. El Mundo (in Spanish), 23 April 2017 Valencia ended the competition third with an unseen 11 point advantage over Levante.
Few days later it was reported in the media that the squad's captains had expressed a lack of tune with manager Andrés Tudela, who had its contract renewed for two more seasons in April,Official: renewed the manager of Levante Femenino. Super Deporte (in Spanish), 5 April 2017 along with objections to the planning of the trainings and an alleged lack of functionality in the section's structure in a meeting with the club's chairman, Quico Catalán.Divorce in the women's team. Levante-EMV (in Spanish), 9 June 2017 After a loss against lower-ranked Granadilla in the Copa de la Reina's quarterfinals against lower-ranked Granadilla put an end to the season, it was reported that this rift would likely result in the departure of over half the squad.Lack of tune with the mister and unprecedented revolution in Levante UD Femenino. Super Deporte (in Spanish), 12 June 2017.
In the end ten players left the team in the summer transfer market, including internationals Noelia Bermúdez, Raquel Infante, Olivia Oprea, Nagore Calderón, Adriana Martín and María José Pérez, with Bermúdez joining Valencia along with Andrea Esteban. Levante signed Noelia Ramos, Patricia Padilla, Natalia Ramos, Alba Aznar, Marta Cardona and 6-times league champion Miriam Diéguez within Primera División, and Greta Espinoza, 2017 Euro finalist Sofie Junge Pedersen and Jéssica Silva from abroad. After five seasons working on a €250,000 budget, the team's was increased to €300,000, the highest in nearly a decade.The 'Súper Levante' of the half million euros. Super Deporte (in Spanish), 23 July 2018
Levante won 7 of the 13 first games of the championship, settling in the 4th position near the halfway point of the league with two victories over direct rivals Athletic Bilbao and Valencia. However, two wide losses against Atlético and Barcelona started a 5-games losing streak and by February the team had plummeted to the 8th position.Week 18 Primera División table in Mundo Deportivo's website On February 13, Andrés Tudela was sacked following a draw against newly-promoted Madrid. It was the third dismissal of a manager in the campaign, after Real Sociedad's Juanjo Arregi and Madrid's Jesús Núñez.Andrés Tudela, dismissed as Levante's manager. Marca (in Spanish), 14 February 2018
Tudela was replaced by Kino García, the coach of the section's B team.Kino, new manager of Levante after Tudela's dismissal. As (in Spanish), 14 February 2018 After a 0–6 debut rout over Espanyol, the team attained an essential three home games winning streak, but lost the remaining seven games in the championship and ended it in the 8th spot, barely qualifying for the Copa de la Reina on the head-to-head over Sporting Huelva thanks to Madrid losing its last game.Levante loses but qualifies for the Cup. Levante-EMV (in Spanish), 13 May 2018 This was Levante's worst result in the championship since the 2010–11 season, after six seasons always ending either 4th or 5th. Charlyn Corral scored 25 goals, more than those scored by the rest of the team combined, and she was the top scorer of the championship with a five goals over Atlético's Sonia Bermúdez.Charlyn Corral, the Mexican that has 'goleado' the Spanish league El País (in Spanish), 13 May 2018 She is to become the second Mexican player awarded the Pichichi Trophy after Hugo Sánchez.Charlyn Corral adjudicates herself Spain's Pichichi. Récord (in Spanish), 13 May 2018
In the Copa de la Reina Levante faced defending champion Barcelona in the quarterfinals, and lost both games by single goals scored by former Levante player Alexia Putellas.Alexia Putellas again rescues Barcelona against Levante. Marca (in Spanish), 23 May 2018
Transfers In Out Date Pos. Player Origin Date Pos. Player Destination24 May 2017 DF Patricia PadillaPatri Padilla moves to Levante . Aúpa Alba (in Spanish), 24 May 2017. Albacete 9 Jun 2017 MF Alba MerinoSanta Teresa attains the return of Alba Merino. El Periódico de Extremadura (in Spanish), 9 June 2017. Santa Teresa7 Jun 2017 MF Alba AznarAlba Aznar, new incorporation to Levante UD Femenino. El Desmarque (in Spanish), 07 June 2017. Zaragoza 14 Jun 2017 DF Mariajo Rocafull Mariajo Rocafull signs for UD Aldaia after leaving Levante UD Femenino. Som Granotes (in Spanish), 14 June 2017. Aldaia7 Jun 2017 MF Marta CardonaAlba Aznar and Marta Cardona, new players of Levante UD Femenino. Macho Levante (in Spanish), 07 June 2017. Zaragoza 16 Jun 2017 FW Adriana MartínThe international Adriana Martín, signed by the Femenino . El Remate Málaga (in Spanish), 16 June 2017. Málaga20 Jun 2017 GK Noelia RamosDouble ration of Ramos for Levante Femenino. El Desmarque (in Spanish), 20 June 2017. Granadilla 30 Jun 2017 FW Sheila GuijarroSheila Guijarro, a deluxe reinforcement for the Femenino . El Remate Málaga (in Spanish), 30 June 2017. Málaga20 Jun 2017 DF Natalia Ramos Granadilla 2 Jul 2017 DF Nagore CalderónNagore Calderón is Sevilla's second signing. Diario de Sevilla (in Spanish), 2 July 2017. Sevilla30 Jun 2017 FW Jéssica SilvaLevante UD Femenino signs Portuguese international player Jéssica Silva. Levante-EMV (in Spanish), 30 June 2017. Sporting Braga 4 Jul 2017 FW María José PérezUD Granadilla officializes the incorporation of María José Pérez. La Opinión de Tenerife (in Spanish), 4 July 2017. Granadilla4 Jul 2017 DF Greta EspinozaGreta Espinoza, international for Mexico, signs for Levante Femenino. Super Deporte (in Spanish), 4 July 2017. Oregon State Beavers 6 Jul 2017 FW Andrea EstebanValencia CF Femenino signs Andrea Esteban, from Levante UD. Las Provincias (in Spanish), 6 July 2017. Valencia (2017–18)9 Aug 2017 MF Miriam DiéguezMiriam Diéguez signs for Levante UD Femenino. El Desmarque (in Spanish), 9 August 2017. Barcelona (2016–17) 7 Jul 2017 GK Noelia BermúdezNoelia Bermúdez, from Levante UD to Valencia CF. Las Provincias (in Spanish), 7 July 2017. Valencia (2017–18)11 Aug 2017 MF Sofie Junge PedersenDanish European Championship silver medal-winner moves to Spanish football. Danmarks Radio (in Danish), 11 August 2017. Rosengård 19 Jul 2017 DF Olivia OpreaRomania's Olivia Oprea returns to Sevilla Femenino from Levante. ABC (in Danish), 19 July 2017. Sevilla 10 Aug, 2017 DF Raquel InfanteRaquel Infante leaves Levante UD. Futebol Feminino Portugal (in Portuguese), 19 July 2017. Rodez
Results Pre-season
Primera División
Copa de la Reina
Primera División statistics No. Pos. Born Since FIFA Player Games Goals Disciplinary record Nationality FC 1 GK 1999 2016–17 6 0 0 0 2 DF 1995 2017–18 2014 15 0 1 0 3 DF 1996 2017–18 0 0 0 0 4 DF 1984 2011–12 27 1 7 1 5 MF 1994 2013–14 24 0 7 0 6 DF 1998 2015–16 6 0 1 0 7 MF 1992 2012–13 6 0 0 0 8 FW 1996 2015–16 28 0 5 0 9 MF 1995 2015–16 27 1 3 1 10 FW 1991 2015–16 2011 29 25 5 0 11 MF 1993 2017–18 21 0 1 0 12 FW 1998 2017–18 4 0 0 0 13 GK 1999 2017–18 24 0 0 0 14 MF 1994 2011–12 25 2 3 0 15 DF 1999 2017–18 21 3 3 0 16 MF 1986 2017–18 2005 30 0 3 0 17 FW 1990 2012–13 2009 30 6 4 0 18 FW 1994 2017–18 2011 20 4 2 0 19 MF 1995 2017–18 27 0 2 0 20 MF 1994 2016–17 2011 19 3 2 0 21 MF 1996 2014–15 19 1 0 0 22 MF 1992 2017–18 2011 24 1 1 0 30 DF 1997 2016–17 1 0 0 0
References