As the La Liga season moves past the midway point, with attention from Crickex Affiliate readers often drifting toward league trends, most teams have completed at least 17 rounds, while Barcelona, Real Madrid, Athletic Club, and Atletico Madrid have already played 19 matches. Against that backdrop, the three newly promoted sides have taken very different paths. Levante, last season’s Segunda Division champions, are mired in the relegation zone and sit second from bottom, five points adrift of safety. Elche, runners up in the Segunda last year, have impressed and currently occupy ninth place, holding a comfortable nine point cushion above danger. Oviedo, who came up through the playoffs, find themselves propping up the table.

Levante’s story has been one of sharp contrast. After lifting the Segunda title last season, expectations were cautiously optimistic, but the step up to La Liga has been unforgiving. Their opening 15 matches produced just two wins, three draws, and ten defeats, leaving them playing catch up almost from the first whistle. Recent signs have been more encouraging. A convincing 3 0 away win over Sevilla delivered their third victory of the campaign, followed by a home draw against Real Sociedad. Even so, with the season approaching its second half, Levante remain firmly in the drop zone and must treat every remaining fixture as a must win if survival is to stay within reach.

Elche, by contrast, have been the standout among the promoted trio. Securing automatic promotion as Segunda runners up, they have carried momentum into the top flight. From their first 18 matches, Elche have claimed five wins and shown particular strength at home, recording emphatic victories such as a 4 0 result against Rayo Vallecano and a 3 0 win over Girona. A recent 3 1 defeat to Villarreal was a setback, but if consistency can be maintained, avoiding relegation should not be a concern. There is even quiet optimism that a push toward a Conference League spot could be on the cards.

Oviedo’s return to La Liga has been far harsher. After finishing third last season and navigating playoff wins over Almeria and Mirandes, hopes were high. Reality has been sobering. Just two wins from 18 matches and an eleven game winless run have left them bottom of the standings with only 12 points. The road ahead remains steep, and like Levante, their focus is squarely on the relegation battle.

Taken together, the picture is clear. Aside from Elche, both Levante and Oviedo face a long, hard fight to stay up, a narrative closely followed by Crickex Affiliate audiences tracking league survival races. As the season unfolds, all three promoted sides will need resilience and a bit of luck if they are to write a more positive ending to their La Liga return.