'The tunnel was a lake!' - Why Levante vs Athletic Bilbao was dramatically called off minutes before kick-off

Athletic Bilbao returned home without playing after their La Liga matchday 6 fixture against Levante was postponed minutes before the scheduled 9:30 pm kick-off. Heavy downpours in Valencia left the pitch at the Ciutat de Valencia completely waterlogged.

Following official pitch inspections by LaLiga representatives and match referee Alejandro Quintero, authorities ruled the playing surface unplayable.

"It has been determined that the pitch does not meet the required conditions for the match to be played, and therefore the decision has been made to postpone the game," the official club statement confirmed.

The weather deteriorated rapidly as both sets of players conducted their pre-match warm-ups on the pitch. Standing water prevented the ball from rolling naturally across the surface, while the tunnel leading from the locker rooms flooded entirely.

The State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) had activated an orange weather alert for intense rainfall across Valencia earlier in the day.

With conditions worsening, referee Quintero ordered the players back to the dressing rooms before officially calling off the contest.

Finding a replacement date for the fixture should prove straightforward, as neither club participates in European competition this season. Athletic director of football Mikel Gonzalez noted that open slots exist following the upcoming international break and prior to the start of the Copa del Rey in late October.

Playing the match on Thursday was immediately ruled out due to tight scheduling constraints.

Athletic host Deportivo Alaves on Saturday afternoon, while Levante travel to face Villarreal on Sunday.

Athletic returned to Bilbao on Thursday morning as originally planned to resume preparations for their weekend derby against Alaves at San Mames. The squad face a busy schedule before the upcoming two-week international break.

During the hiatus, the club are scheduled to face Real Sociedad in the Euskal Herria Kopa final on Friday, 2 October.

LaLiga will announce the rescheduled date and kick-off time for the Levante fixture once both clubs reach an agreement.

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