Coach Luís Castro takes over Levante with Spanish team in last place

By Canadian Press on December 20, 2025.

VALENCIA, Spain (AP) — Levante hired Portuguese coach Luís Castro on Saturday with the team at the bottom of the La Liga standings.

Levante has struggled in its return to the top flight with just two wins in 16 rounds. The club fired Julián Calero, the coach who led it to promotion, last month after a run of four consecutive losses. Since then it has been led by caretaker coaches from inside the club.

Levante was also eliminated from the Copa del Rey by a lower-division opponent this week.

Castro signed through June 2027.

The hiring of Castro was announced shortly after Levante drew with Real Sociedad 1-1 at home on Saturday. The result left Levante last in the 20-team competition and six points from safety.

The 45-year-old Castro arrives after he was fired by French club Nantes last week with the eight-time French champion languishing in 17th place in the 18-team Ligue 1.

Castro won praise after leading second-tier Dunkerque to the French Cup’s final four last season. The minnow led Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 in the semifinal before PSG rallied to win.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The Associated Press

12
-11