Elche vs Barcelona Preview: Team News & Prediction
by Alex Lawes ·
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Elche have been in fairly indifferent form of late as they slip into the bottom-half of La Liga ahead of welcoming league leaders Barcelona to Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Premier Sports / US – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so any game may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Premier Player & Disney+ / US – ESPN+
Elche preview: Struggling Elche
Following their promotion to the top-flight of Spanish football last season, Elche have been one of the surprise packages in La Liga with an impressive and progressive style of football implemented by the always entertaining Eder Sarabia.
However, after a very strong first-half to the campaign, Elche now come into this one on the back of a 3-2 defeat to Levante in a regional derby in the Valencian Community last week, extending their current winless run of form to four matches.
Barcelona preview: League leading Barca
Barcelona come into this one on the back of a 4-1 demolition of FC Copenhagen in the league phase of the UEFA Champions League in midweek, courtesy of strikes from Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Marcus Rashford.
The Blaugrana begin the 22nd match day of the 2025/26 La Liga campaign sitting just a point clear of mid-table Elche at the top-of-the-table, as a result of suffering a 2-1 defeat to Real Sociedad in the Basque Country a couple of weeks ago.
Elche team news: Aleix Febas suspended
Elche midfielder Aleix Febas is missing through suspension for this weekend, while fellow defender Hector Fort is also a confirmed absentee due to injury.
Predicted XI (5-4-1): Inaki Pena; Yulle Santiago, Adria Pedrosa, Affengruber, Petrot, German Valera; Diangana, Marcos Aguado, Federico Redondo, Neto; Alvaro
Unavailable: Hector Fort (Injured), Aleix Febas (Suspended)
Questionable: Alvaro Nunez (Injured), Rafa Mir (Injured)
Barcelona team news: A few injuries
Barcelona have a few injury issues for this weekend’s trip to Elche as defender Andreas Christensen is sidelined alongside midfield duo Pedri and Gavi.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Joan Garcia; Cancelo, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Gerard Martin; Marc Casado, De Jong; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Unavailable: Christensen (Injured), Pedri (Injured), Gavi (Injured)
Questionable:
Elche vs Barcelona prediction
Elche play quite an entertaining and enterprising style of football with their 21 La Liga matches having consisted of 58 goals. Their form has begin to drift, though. They now face a Barcelona side that are seeking to defend their title but are having to rotate their side a fair bit. Barca are the firm favourites for this one in what should be quite a high-scoring encounter.
Elche vs Barcelona tip: Barcelona to win & over 2.5 goals
