Mikautadze helps Villarreal tighten grip on third place with 1-0 win at Levante in Spanish league
Villarreal's Georges Mikautadze, right, and Ajax's Aaron Bouwman fight for the ball during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Villarreal and Ajax in Villarreal, Spain, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. Credit: AP/Alberto Saiz
MADRID — Villarreal strengthened its hold on third place in the Spanish league with a 1-0 win at Levante on Wednesday in a match that was initially postponed last year.
Georges Mikautadze scored the 57th-minute winner as Villarreal moved three points ahead of fourth-place Atletico Madrid.
Villarreal is 10 points behind second-place Barcelona and 12 behind leader Real Madrid after 24 rounds.
It was Villarreal's second victory in three matches following a sequence of five straight winless games across all competitions.
Levante, which remained in second-to-last place, has lost three in a row and hasn't won in four matches.
The game had been scheduled for Dec. 14 but was called off because of heavy rain in the Valencia region. A weather alert was issued in the region.
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