Rabat – Barcelona face Elche CF tonight in their 11th La Liga match of the season. Barça are second in the table with 22 points, eight points behind leaders Real Madrid. They’ve won 7 of their 10 games but lost 2–1 to Madrid in El Clásico last weekend.
With Madrid winning again on Saturday, Barcelona needs a win to avoid falling eight points behind.
Elche, recently promoted, are having a strong season. They sit 8th with 14 points from 10 matches (3 wins, 5 draws, 2 losses).
Match Details
- Fixture: FC Barcelona vs Elche CF
- Competition: Spanish La Liga (Matchday 11)
- Venue: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona (Spain)
- Date: Sunday, November
- Kick-off: 6:30 p.m. (GMT+1)
- How to Watch: beIN Sports 1 (MENA), ESPN+ (USA), Premier Sports 1 (UK), DAZN LaLiga (Spain)
Barcelona team news
Barcelona will be without several important players tonight, especially in midfield and defense.
Pedri is suspended after his red card in El Clásico and also has a thigh injury that will keep him out for a few weeks.
Gavi is still recovering from a knee problem, while Raphinha and Andreas Christensen are also sidelined with injuries.
Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen remains out after back surgery.
On the positive side, Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo have returned to training and are fit to rejoin the squad.
Lewandowski, recovering from a hamstring injury, might come off the bench.
Lamine Yamal is expected to start on the right wing despte a minor groin issue, Flick confirmed he’s ready to play.
Predicted lineup: Szczesny; Koundé, Cubarsi, E. Garcia, Balde; Casado, De Jong; Yamal, Ronald Araújo, Rashford; Torres
Elche team news
Elche have no major injury concerns ahead of their match against Barcelona. Coach Eder Sarabia is expected to stick with the same lineup used in recent league games, after rotating players during their midweek Copa del Rey win.
The newly-promoted side usually plays in a 3-5-2 formation, though they’ve occasionally switched to a back four.
Up front, André Silva, who is on loan and the team’s top scorer with 4 goals, should lead the attack, and will likely be partnered by Rafa Mir.
In midfield, Álex Febas and Álvaro Aguado will look to create chances, while Pedro Bigas anchors the defense.
Goalkeeper Iñaki Peña is on loan from Barcelona, is ready to play and could start against his former club.
Predicted lineup: Peña; Chust, Affengruber, Bigas; J. Nunez, Mendoza; Febas, Aguado, Valera; Silva, Mir
What to expect
Barcelona will try to control possession and pressure Elche from the start at the Estadi Olímpic. After losing El Clásico, Hansi Flick’s team is determined to respond with a strong performance at home.
Barça are La Liga’s top scorers with 25 goals in 10 matches and have a good record against Elche, beating them 3–0 and 4–0 last season.
Expect an aggressive start from Barcelona. Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford will provide width and pace.
Elche won’t just sit back. Coach Eder Sarabia’s side plays a bold, possession-based style. They rank third in La Liga for average possession (around 59.7%), behind only Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Safe bets & predictions
- Both Teams to Score: Likely Barcelona’s defense is weak, and Elche have scored in 60% of their matches this season.
- Over 2.5 Goals: Expected Barcelona games are usually high-scoring 9 out of 10 have had over 2.5 goals.
Lamine Yamal to Score or Assist: Likely - Barcelona to Win or Draw: Win Barcelona are unbeaten at home this season and have never lost to Elche at home in La Liga.
Prediction: Barcelona 2–1 Elche.
