Levante and Athletic Bilbao should test each other's first pass in very different ways. Levante's home pressure has repeatedly turned into box entries, while Athletic's wide release can punish space behind advanced fullbacks. Aston Villa should spend longer spells probing Viking's compact centre. Viking have a direct counter and dead-ball route, but their recent European matches have also allowed sustained pressure.
Levante can press Bilbao's first pivot pass and then find Brugué or Romero beyond the first line. Their home attack has created box chances against several different opponents, and Ratkov with Requena gave them a genuine later supply route in the latest response. Bilbao can find Berenguer or Navarro outside the fullbacks, yet their latest attack at Valencia had little central finish with Sancet out and Guruzeta injured in that game. Levante's second-wave options can keep supplying the box even after Bilbao's first spell of possession. That's why I'm siding with Levante.
Villa's Kamara and supporting midfielders can cut off Viking's first outlet, then move the ball through McGinn, Buendía or Mbaye into Jackson. Villa have produced repeated high-quality entries in their European games, and Barkley and Abraham have shown finishing support. Manzambi and Wan-Bissaka are out, but the observed Kamara-to-forward and replacement chains remain available in the pre-match picture. Viking's Bell-led block and Tripić deliveries can create moments, although its two comparable European tests brought repeated chances for opponents and limited chance volume of its own. A Villa lead should open another lane as Viking advance. That's why I'm siding with Aston Villa.
