Barcelona will face Elche this Saturday evening as they aim to strengthen their position at the top of the LaLiga table.
With Real Madrid just one point behind, Barcelona cannot afford a mistake against the newly promoted team away from home.
Elche vs Barcelona – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 31st January.
- Kick-off: 8pm BST.
- Venue: Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, Elche.
Elche team news
Rafa Mir, who has scored 6 goals in 18 games this season, is doubtful for Saturday due to a hamstring injury. Manager Eder Sarabia mentioned in his press conference: “We need to consider what’s best for him in the long term. We will evaluate him for his availability.” If Mir can’t play, Álvaro Rodríguez will likely take his place.
Barcelona defender on loan, Hector Fort, will miss the match due to a shoulder injury, while Aleix Febas is suspended after too many yellow cards. Defender Álvaro Núñez is also a doubt with a muscle issue.
Barcelona team news
Midfielder Pedri is out with a hamstring injury and expected to be sidelined for about a month, likely not returning until late February.
Gavi continues to recover from knee surgery in September and could return before the end of February. Andreas Christensen is facing a long absence due to an ACL injury from training earlier this month.
On a positive note, Ferran Torres has recovered from a hamstring strain and is fit to play. He participated in group training and may start in this match. Frenkie de Jong is also available after serving his Champions League suspension and will captain the team. Eric García, taken off during the Copenhagen match as a precaution, is expected to be available, though he may be rested.
Forward Lamine Yamal is in great form, having scored in the Champions League against Copenhagen and winning LaLiga Player of the Month for November and December. He is set to play a key role in the upcoming match.
Form
Elche
Elche is currently 12th in the league with 24 points from 21 matches, achieving 5 wins, 9 draws, and 7 losses. Under Sarabia, they have adopted a possession-based style similar to Barcelona’s.
However, Elche has struggled lately, gaining only two points in their last four LaLiga matches. Their recent match ended in a 3-2 loss to Levante after leading at halftime.
Barcelona
Barcelona’s last domestic match was a 3-0 win over Real Oviedo, helping them maintain their lead at the top. They also secured a place in the Champions League round of 16 with a 4-1 win over Copenhagen midweek.
Their only recent setback was a surprising 2-1 loss at Real Sociedad, which ended their winning streak. Nevertheless, Barcelona remains one of the best away teams in LaLiga, earning 22 points from 11 matches with seven wins.
Predicted lineups
Elche: Pena; Chust, Affengruber, Bigas; Pedrosa, Neto, Diangana, Aguado, Valera; Rodriguez, Silva
Barcelona: J Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martin, Balde; E Garcia, De Jong; Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha; F Torres
How to watch Elche vs Barcelona?
In the UK, the match will be broadcast live on Disney+ as part of LaLiga’s Saturday night programming.
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