Claudio Giráldez’s side were looking to apply pressure on Real Betis in the battle for fifth place, as they faced a relegation-threatened Levante team who have endured a torrid time on the road in recent months.
The hosts began brightly and created their first opportunity when Mathew Ryan denied Fer Lopez at the end of a lovely free-flowing move.
But there was nothing the Australian could do to prevent Ferran Jutgla from netting a fifth-minute opener, as Celta’s number nine weaved his way into the box and dispatched a right-footed effort into the bottom corner.
It was a goal which opened the top-flight trap door a little further for the Valencian outfit, but they responded encouragingly to that early setback.
Kareem Tunde fired wide at the near post from Pablo Martinez’s cross, while Ionut Radu was called into action to push away Kervin Arriaga’s downward header.
Luis Castro’s team were rewarded for the positivity in the 43rd minute when Kervin Arriaga took aim from distance, and Radu horribly misjudged the flight of the ball, parrying it into his own net.
The Honduran was eager to inflict more damage before half-time with another long-range shot, which sailed just wide of the post.
However, those feelings of optimism amongst the visitors dissipated within three minutes of the restart, as Jutgla netted his second of the game with a first-time finish at the far post from Javi Rueda’s cross.
Levante were in no mood to go down without a fight, though, and restored parity again through Adrian Dela’s sublime strike from distance to stun the Galicians.
It would get worse for the hosts just six minutes later when Roger Brugue was allowed to head home Jon Olasagasti’s corner from an unmarked position inside the box to give Los Azulgranas a sensational 3-2 lead.
Brugue had an opportunity to rub more salt into Celta’s wounds, but his left-footed attempt cannoned off the bar.
These three crucial points lift Castro’s men out of the bottom three, after claiming their first away league win since January. It also ended a run of five meetings without a victory against Celta, whose poor home form had come back to bite them once again.
A Betis win over Elche tonight would mathematically end any hopes of competing in the UCL next season, but their fine exploits on the road mean that the probability of Europa League qualification still looms large.