Elche – Barcelona, Picks and Tips
Elche is one of La Liga's modest sides, but in past seasons they were capable of surprising results. Not infrequently Elche managed to rise to a high level and hold their own even against the Spanish giants. This season, however, the team coached by Francisco Rodríguez has not been able to stand out as it did in the past. Elche is currently in 13th place with 29 points. As I said above, even if the distance to the relegation zone is decent, the fight for retention is not over. The team has been inconsistent in the last few games in La Liga. Elche has alternated better games with weaker ones. And there have been periods and periods. Granted, the 2-2 draw with Real Madrid is a great result, but it was achieved with great luck. In total, Elche have 7 wins, 8 draws and 11 defeats, with a negative record, obviously, 28 goals scored and 37 conceded. The last defeats were suffered against Sevilla and Levante. In the 12 games played at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero this season, the team has not had a bad run. Even though they are still in 12th place in this chapter, Elche has only been defeated twice. And in their last 5 home games, the team is unbeaten, with four wins and one draw. Can the hosts make a good showing in Elche - Barca?
Barcelona is starting to return to the form that impressed in seasons past. After a period of rebuilding, but not quite finished, under former Catalan midfielder Xavi, Barca are playing a completely different brand of football from the start of the season. We know all too well how the Camp Nou side started the season and how modest the former Champions League winners were. Disastrous performances have also seen them eliminated from the Champions League, but now the Xavi-led team seems to be stepping up their game from match to match. The team hasn't lost in the league for exactly three months, since the 1-0 defeat to Betis at Camp Nou. True, there have been a few other defeats for the Catalans, but they have all been in other competitions. 0-3 against Bayern in the Champions League and defeats in the Spanish SuperCup and King's Cup against rivals Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. Incidentally, the defeat against the Basques on 20 January was the Catalans' last defeat in all competitions. Since then, Barca have collected five wins and two draws in the league and Europa League. Their current form is very good, with three wins in a row, including a spectacular 4-2 win in the return leg against Napoli. Equally spectacular was the last league win. Barca beat Bilbao 4-0, taking revenge against the Basques after their elimination from the Cup. It was an authoritatively controlled match for the Catalans, who seem to be raising the level of the game more and more. In away games this season, Barca have not been bad. Even if they started weaker, in their last 5 away games, the team is undefeated with three wins and two draws. The goal difference is also good, with 19 goals scored and 15 conceded. In their last away game, Barca won 4-1 away to Valencia. Will Xavi's side win again in Elche-Barcelona?
Our recommendation tip for Elche – Barcelona: BARCELONA TO WIN @ 1.50