Preview: Elche vs. Celta Vigo - prediction, team news, lineups

The home side are bottom of the table, boasting just four points from their opening 15 matches of the season, while Celta sit 17th, having collected just 13 points from their opening 15 games of 2022-23.

Match preview

Elche have drawn four and lost 11 of their 15 La Liga matches this season to collect four points, which has left them rooted to the bottom of the table, nine points behind 17th-placed Celta.

The team's last league victory came on the final weekend of the 2021-22 campaign against Getafe, with the result leaving them in 13th position in the table, boasting 42 points from their 38 matches.

Elche are in their third straight season at this level, which is their best run since the late 1970s, but their position in the top flight for 2023-24 is in severe doubt, even at this stage.

Pablo Machin's side have lost each of their last four in La Liga, including a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid on December 29, while they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Ceuta in the Copa del Rey on Tuesday.

Elche had overcame Guadalajara in the second round of the cup, but they were shocked by their third-tier opponents in the round of 32, so their focus is now fully on the league.

Celta were also in Copa del Rey action on Tuesday, suffering a 3-1 loss to Espanyol after extra-time, with Sergi Darder and Nico Melamed scoring for the Catalan outfit in extra-time.

The Sky Blues picked up a point in a 1-1 draw with Sevilla in La Liga on December 30, with the result leaving them in 17th position in the table on 13 points.

Celta are only one point ahead of 18th-placed Sevilla, and there is no getting away from the fact that it has been a tough season for the Vigo outfit thus far, winning just three of their 15 league matches, suffering eight defeats in the process.

Carlos Carvalhal's side have another three league games before the end of the month, facing Villarreal, Mallorca and Athletic Bilbao ahead of a trip to Real Betis at the start of February.

Celta have been a La Liga team since 2012, so it would be a shock if they were eliminated this season, especially considering their comfortable eighth and 11th-place finishes in the last two campaigns.

The Sky Blues suffered a 1-0 defeat to Elche in the corresponding match last season, but they recorded a 1-0 victory when the two teams last locked horns in May.

Elche La Liga form:

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D

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Elche form (all competitions):

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Celta Vigo La Liga form:

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Celta Vigo form (all competitions):

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Team News

Elche will be without the services of both Gonzalo Verdu and Domingos Quina following their red cards in the two-goal defeat to Atletico in the league last time out.

Jony Alamo, John Donald, Pol Lirola and Nicolas Fernandez will all miss the match through injury, while Josan remains a doubt due to a muscular problem.

Enzo Roco could come into the back three due to Verdu's absence, but Pere Milla and Roger are again expected to feature alongside Lucas Boye in the final third of the field.

As for Celta, head coach Carvalhal could have a full squad available for this contest.

There will be changes from the side that took to the field for the Copa del Rey contest against Espanyol, with Fran Beltran, Hugo Mallo, Iago Aspas, Javi Galan and Oscar Mingueza all set to return.

Jorgen Strand Larsen is also expected to start in the final third of the field alongside Aspas, with the players that started the draw with Sevilla in the league last time out potentially retaining their spots.

Elche possible starting lineup:

Badia; Gonzalez, Roco, Bigas; Palacios, Guti, Mascarell, Clerc; Milla, Boye, Roger

Celta Vigo possible starting lineup:

Marchesin; Mallo, Mingueza, Aidoo, Nunez, Galan; Veiga, Beltran, Cervi; Aspas, Larsen

We say: Elche 1-1 Celta Vigo

Celta have drawn three of their last five in La Liga, while they are without a victory since the start of October. Elche are yet to triumph this season, but we have a feeling that the home side will be good enough for a point on Friday night, which would certainly be a step in the right direction.

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