Preview: Elche vs Espanyol – prediction, workforce information, lineups

Espanyol‘s seek for their first win of 2026 will proceed on Sunday afternoon, after they make the journey to Estadio Martinez Valero to tackle Elche.

The guests have dropped to seventh spot within the La Liga table as a result of their struggles, whereas Elche are seventeenth, only one level outdoors of the relegation zone.

Match preview

Elche are dangerously near the underside three at an important stage of the season, sitting in seventeenth spot within the desk, only one level forward of 18th-placed Mallorca.

It has been a tricky marketing campaign for the Green-striped ones, who completed second within the Segunda Division final season to safe promotion again to the highest flight.

Eder Sarabia‘s aspect will enter this match off the again of a 2-1 defeat to Athletic Bilbao, and so they haven’t really been victorious within the league since a 4-0 success over Rayo Vallecano on December 21.

Elche have been troublesome to beat on their very own patch this season, although, dropping simply two of their 13 matches, which can hand them confidence forward of this contest.

Espanyol have the sixth-best away file in Spain’s prime flight this season, in the meantime, selecting up 15 factors from their 12 matches on their travels.

© Imago / IMAGO / Pressinphoto

The guests had been so spectacular within the first half of the season, but it surely has been a really troublesome 2026 for the Catalan outfit, who haven’t triumphed since a 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao on December 22.

Espanyol have performed eight instances in La Liga in 2026 and have picked up simply two factors, and they’ll enter this match off the again of a 4-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid.

Manolo Gonzalez‘s aspect sit seventh within the league desk, two factors behind sixth-placed Celta Vigo, so it might nonetheless be a wonderful marketing campaign for the membership if they’ll discover that successful formulation once more.

Espanyol have received 20 of their earlier 48 matches in opposition to Elche in all competitions, together with a 1-0 success within the reverse recreation between the 2 sides earlier this season.

The Catalan workforce have solely really misplaced one in all their final eight league video games in opposition to Elche and are unbeaten in 5 heading into this weekend’s contest.

Elche La Liga type:

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Espanyol La Liga type:

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Team News

© Imago

Elche stay with out the providers of on-loan Barcelona defender Hector Fort as a result of a shoulder damage, whereas Alvaro Rodriguez will must be assessed earlier than his involvement on this weekend’s contest might be decided.

Yago Santiago can be out of the match by suspension following his purple card within the conflict with Athletic Bilbao.

Rafa Mir got here off the bench to switch the injured Rodriguez within the second half of the sport with Athletic Bilbao, and the Spaniard might now characteristic alongside Andre Silva in assault.

As for Espanyol, Javi Puado is out for the rest of the season with a severe knee damage.

Without a win in 2026, Espanyol head coach Gonzalez is desperately on the lookout for the correct stability, and Edu Exposito’s glorious efficiency off the bench in opposition to Atletico ought to equal a spot within the beginning aspect this weekend.

There may be a change within the last third of the sphere, with Roberto Fernandez more likely to be launched rather than Kike Garcia.

Elche attainable beginning lineup:

Dituro; Chust, Affengruber, Bigas; Morente, Cepeda, Febas, Aguado, Valera; Mir, Silva

Espanyol attainable beginning lineup:

Dmitrovic; El Hilali, Calero, Cabrera, Romero; Lozano, Zarate; Dolan, Exposito, Carreras; Fernandez

We say: Elche 1-2 Espanyol

Something has to provide for Espanyol sooner or later, and they are going to be developing in opposition to an Elche aspect which might be additionally in very disappointing type. It wouldn’t be a shock to see a draw on Sunday, however we simply have a sense that the guests will be capable of navigate their strategy to an important win.

For knowledge evaluation of the most certainly outcomes, scorelines and extra for this match please click here.