Matchday 9 of La Liga sees Elche take on Athletic on October 19 at the Manuel Martinez Valero Stadium. Elche vs. Athletic: prediction, betting odds, and statistics.
Elche
As newcomers to the league, the team has been one of the standout performers in the first part of the season. Two weeks ago, Elche suffered a defeat to Alaves, marking their first loss since returning to La Liga. This ended a 12-match unbeaten run in the league (5 wins, 7 draws). Eder Sarabia's side has dropped to 7th in the standings, but they remain just three points behind 3rd place. It's also worth noting that the team has scored in 15 consecutive La Liga matches. Additionally, Elche is particularly strong at home, having secured 10 out of a possible 12 points from four home matches this season, with only Real Madrid and Villarreal having more.
- Both teams scored in 7 of Elche's last 9 La Liga games.
- The club has won with a +1.5 handicap in 15 of their last 16 league matches.
- The team's unbeaten home run in La Liga stretches over 8 matches (5 wins, 3 draws).
Predicted lineup for Elche (5-3-2)
Inaki Pena – Alvaro Nunez, Victor Chust, David Affengruber, Pedro Bigas, German Valera – Marc Aguado, Aleix Febas, Grady Diangana – Rafa Mir, Alvaro Rodriguez.
Defender David Affengruber is suspended, and forward Grady Diangana is out due to injury. Defenders Adria Pedrosa and Hector Fort have recovered and may return to the lineup. Head coach Eder Sarabia has served his suspension and will be back on the sidelines.
Athletic
Before the international break, the club secured a hard-fought but crucial victory over Mallorca. This win ended a winless streak in which they collected just one point over four La Liga rounds. While it's too early to say if the Basques have fully overcome their slump, the psychological boost should help. Ernesto Valverde's side has also improved their league position, now sitting 8th, trailing three clubs, including Elche, only on goal difference.
- No more than 2 goals were scored in 5 of Athletic's last 7 league matches.
- The Basques' uncompromising away streak in La Liga stands at 5 games (3 wins, 2 losses).
- The team has not scored more than 1 goal in 9 of their last 11 away La Liga games.
Predicted lineup for Athletic (4-2-3-1)
Unai Simon – Yuri Berchiche, Aymeric Laporte, Daniel Vivian, Jesus Areso – Mikel Jauregi, Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta – Robert Navarro, Nico Serrano, Gorka Guruzeta – Inaki Williams.
Defender Unai Etxebarria and midfielder Beñat Prados are unavailable due to injuries. Midfielder Oihan Sancet has recovered, while the participation of midfielder Mikel Vesga is in question.
Elche vs. Athletic: Match Prediction
In the last round, Elche suffered their first defeat since returning to La Liga, but even in the unsuccessful match against Alaves, the team found a moment to score. Eder Sarabia's side has consistently scored in all 8 matches of the current league season, and their scoring streak in this tournament now totals 15 games. At home, Elche has scored at least 1 goal in 8 consecutive La Liga matches.
Athletic ended their winless league run two weeks ago, but the club has conceded in 6 consecutive La Liga matches. Now facing a challenging away fixture, Ernesto Valverde's side has failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their three away La Liga matches this season. Only 2 of their last 8 league meetings with Elche have ended with a clean sheet for the Basques.
There are all the prerequisites for the hosts to score against Athletic once again. Prediction: Elche to score – Yes
* The starting lineup for each team is based on their previous match in this tournament.
