Preview: Elche vs. Huesca - prediction, team news, lineups

A clash between two newly-promoted sides in La Liga takes place on Saturday afternoon as Elche welcome Huesca to the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero.

Elche got off the mark for the season with a 1-0 victory over Eibar on Wednesday, whereas Huesca managed to take a point off Atletico Madrid on the same evening.

Match preview

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Elche fell to a humbling 3-0 defeat to Real Sociedad upon their return to the Spanish top flight, but the newly-promoted side enjoyed their first victory of the season at the second attempt as they overcame Eibar 1-0 in midweek.

Lucas Boye opened his account for the season in the 37th minute to give Jorge Almiron 's side the win, and the Elche manager will be delighted to see his side register their first victory of the campaign so early on.

Of course, Elche's primary goal this season will simply be avoiding an immediate return to the Segunda Division, where they finished sixth but achieved promotion alongside Huesca and Cadiz via the playoff route in the 2019-20 campaign.

Almiron's men have fixtures against Alaves, Valencia and Real Betis to come after the international break, so Los Franjiverdes may feel that their weekend clash with Huesca will be their best opportunity to register another three points before the end of the month.

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That will certainly be easier said than done, however, as fellow newly-promoted side Huesca managed to hold Atletico Madrid to a goalless stalemate in midweek.

While the visitors are still without a win from four matches in the 2020-21 La Liga season, Huesca must be credited for taking points off Atletico, Valencia and Villarreal thus far, although they did also lose 2-0 to Cadiz in their second game of the season.

Only Eibar, Alaves and Real Valladolid are also awaiting their first victory of the new campaign, and a win here would do Michel 's side the world of good before the international break.

Last season's Segunda Division champions have endured a challenging set of opening fixtures but can be satisfied with three draws from that tough run, and Huesca can also look forward to a game with a struggling Valladolid side in two weeks' time.

Elche and Huesca played out a 1-1 draw in this fixture in last season's second division, with Huesca having prevailed on their own turf 2-0 a few months before.

Elche La Liga form: LW

Huesca La Liga form: DLDD

Team News

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Elche's solitary injury concern is Miguel Cifuentes, who is expected to remain on the treatment table until after the international break after coming off against Sociedad with a leg injury.

Other than that, Almiron has a fully-fit squad at his disposal for the visit of Huesca, and the Elche manager is expected to stick with the three-man defence from the victory over Eibar.

The hosts have recently welcomed Youssouf Kone on loan from Lyon, and the 25-year-old could be handed his first start for Elche on the left-hand side.

With regard to Huesca, both of Michel's recognised right-backs in Pablo Maffeo and Pedro Lopez are set to miss out, so Jorge Pulido may be required to fill in on that side.

Pablo Insua could therefore come in to partner Dimitrios Siovas in the heart of defence, although left-back Gaston Silva has also deputised at centre-back in the past and is another option there for the visitors.

Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Rafa Mir came off the bench in the draw over Atletico and will be vying for a start here.

Elche possible starting lineup:

Badia; Verdu, Calvo, Josema; Josan, Guti, Mfulu, Kone; Morente, Boye, Rodriguez

Huesca possible starting lineup:

Fernandez; Pulido, Insua, Siovas, Galan; Mosquera, Seoane, Garcia; Ferreiro, Okazaki, Mir

We say: Elche 0-0 Huesca

In spite of the fact that Huesca are still waiting for that vital first win of the season, Michel's side have proven that they are not here just to make up the numbers. Elche will be buoyed by their victory over Eibar but are likely to be heading into this game with a cautious approach, so we are tipping this one to end goalless.

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