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

The home side remain rooted to the foot of the table on six points, while Villarreal sit fifth, three points behind fourth-placed Atletico Madrid on the same number of matches (19).

Match preview

Elche have picked up just six points from 19 La Liga matches this season, with those six points being earned courtesy of six draws, with the team incredibly still waiting for their first league success of the campaign.

The strugglers are actually without a win in Spain's top flight since the end of May, and they will enter this match off the back of a 3-0 defeat to Sevilla last weekend.

There is still plenty of football to be played before the end of the campaign, but it will take a huge effort from Pablo Machin's side to pull themselves out of the relegation zone, as they are currently 14 points behind 17th-placed Real Valladolid on the same number of matches (19).

Elche have finished 17th and 13th in their last two La Liga campaigns, but they appear destined to drop back into the Segunda Division for the 2023-24 campaign.

The Green-striped ones have the worst home record in Spain's top flight this season, picking up just three points from nine matches, scoring only five times in the process.

Villarreal, meanwhile, will also enter this match off the back of a defeat, having suffered a surprise 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano in Spain's top flight on Monday.

Sergio Camello's 70th-minute effort proved to be the difference between the two teams, and the result left the Yellow Submarine in fifth spot in the table, boasting 31 points from their 19 matches.

Villarreal are only three points behind fourth-placed Atletico, but they are just three ahead of eighth-placed Osasuna, so their position could change enormously with a couple of positive or indeed negative results.

These are the type of matches that Quique Setien's side will need to win if they are to stand a chance of finishing in the top four, but the team have only been victorious in three of their 10 away league games this season, so their form on their travels will also need to improve.

Villarreal, who have finished seventh in their last two La Liga campaigns, ran out 4-0 winners over Elche when the two teams locked horns for the reverse fixture earlier this season.

Elche La Liga form:

L

L

L

D

D

L

Elche form (all competitions):

L

L

L

D

D

L

Villarreal La Liga form:

W

W

W

D

W

L

Villarreal form (all competitions):

W

W

D

L

W

L

Team News

Elche will be without the services of Pedro Bigas following his red card against Sevilla last time out.

Meanwhile, Tete Morente, Domingos Quina, Alex Collado and John Donald will also be absent for the league's basement side due to injury problems.

The home team will be boosted by the return of Jose Angel Carmona following a suspension, though, and he should be back in the starting side, while Gonzalo Verdu could return to the back three.

As for Villarreal, the team did not make any January signings, but there were some notable departures, with Geronimo Rulli, Arnaut Danjuma and Manu Morlanes exiting the club.

Pau Torres was only a substitute against Rayo on Monday night, but the Spain international is expected to come back into the starting side for this match, while Kiko Femenia should also return, as Juan Foyth will be missing due to a shoulder problem.

Francis Coquelin is also an option for change, but Alex Baena could keep his spot in the middle of the park, with Yeremy Pino and Samuel Chukwueze supporting Gerard Moreno in the final third of the field.

As well as Foyth, Villarreal will be missing Nicolas Jackson, Alfonso Pedraza and Giovani Lo Celso due to fitness issues.

Elche possible starting lineup:

Badia; Gonzalez, Roco, Verdu; Carmona, Mascarell, Gumbau, Blanco; Fidel, Boye, Milla

Villarreal possible starting lineup:

Jorgensen; Femenia, Albiol, P Torres, A Moreno; Parejo, Capoue, Baena; Chukwueze, G Moreno, Pino

We say: Elche 0-2 Villarreal

Elche will not go the whole season without winning a match, but we are finding it very difficult to back the home side to pick up a positive result here. Villarreal need to put a victory on the board to stay in touch with the top four, and we are fully expecting the visitors to secure all three points in this contest.

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