The club from the Manuel Martinez Valero returned from the Segunda a year ago and immediately managed to retain their place in the top flight. They collected one point more than relegated Mallorca, 43, and even finished fifteenth on the additional criteria. This time, however, they have made a difficult start: after a goalless draw with newcomers Deportivo, they suffered a series of defeats. They finally earned a 1-1 draw against Athletic in the latest round, exchanging goals with their opponents.
The capital giants failed to win a single trophy last season. This time, with a revamped squad and Mourinho back in charge, they made a strong start with a series of victories. However, they slipped up against Betis, losing 0-1. They bounced back in the latest round by thrashing Rayo Vallecano 4-1. In the Champions League, they secured a 2-1 victory over Inter, although not without some luck.
Nino and his teammates are scoring 1.2 goals per game while conceding more than twice as many — 2.6. The Madrid stars look convincing, averaging 2.8 goals scored and just 0.8 conceded per match.
Head to Head matches: Elche vs Real Madrid
Things have not been quite so straightforward for the giants recently, with half of their last six head-to-head meetings ending in draws.
The only real question is how convincingly the visitors will win. We are backing Real Madrid with a -1.5-goal handicap (odds – 1.84).
Elche vs Real Madrid: key statistics and trends
Elche have lost three of their last four matches
80% of Elche’s matches have featured goals from both teams, with an average total of 3.8 goals per game
Real Madrid have recorded four victories in their last five matches
60% of Real Madrid’s matches have featured goals from both teams, with an average total of 3.6 goals per game
Elche vs Real Madrid: Possible starting lineups
Elche play in a 1-5-4-1 formation (possible lineup): Dituro – Valera, Sangare, Bigas, Chust, Affengruber – Hori, Aguado, Villar, Buonanotte – Nino
Real Madrid play in a 1-4-2-3-1 formation (possible lineup): Courtois – Cucurella, Huijsen, Rudiger, Alexander-Arnold – Camavinga, Valverde – Vinicius Junior, Bellingham, Brahim Diaz – Mbappe
