What does the cryptic crossword clue "Opponent starts to reappear in very advanced leagues (5)" mean?

The definition is "Opponent". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). R (first_letter="reappear") + I (first_letter="in") + V (abbreviation="very") + A (abbreviation="advanced") + L (first_letter="leagues") = RIVAL; definition: "Opponent" The answer is RIVAL.

Opponent starts to reappear in very advanced leagues (5)

Daily Mail Cryptic #17080 | 15 Across | 2023-04-20 flower

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