Elche Form and Squad
Since mid-February, Elche have been hovering around the relegation zone. A winless run of 11 matches from the start of the year to mid-March contributed to that, with only four draws during that stretch. Over this period the team tumbled from eighth to 18th place, where they sit now. Only victories in their last two games at Manuel Martinez Valero have helped to stabilise the situation. They are just one point away from safety.
Important Elche Stats:
- In this league campaign Elche have lost only two of their 16 home matches, with Barcelona and Villarreal the only visitors to win there.
- Five of their last eight matches have been goalless at half-time.
- Their current unbeaten home run stands at four matches.
Potential Elche Lineup (3-5-2)
Matias Dituro – Leo Petrot, David Affengruber, Pedro Bigas – Tete Morente, Gonzalo Villar, Lucas Cepeda, Aleix Febas, German Valera – Rafa Mir, Andre Silva.
Unavailable: Adam Boayar.
Atletico Madrid Form and Squad
Atletico Madrid come into this match in far from ideal shape. Over their last seven games they have lost five, suffered another defeat on penalties in the Copa del Rey and won only once, against Barcelona (2:0). That burst of form helped the team reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. Understandably, almost half of those fixtures were against the Catalans, and there was also Real Madrid. The main point is that such a glut of high-intensity matches is extremely draining.
Important Atletico Madrid Stats:
- There has been a sending-off in four of Atletico Madrid's last six matches.
- On the road the side are averaging just over a point per game (1.1), with only four wins in 15 league trips.
- In 2026 they have scored only five goals in six La Liga away games.
Potential Atletico Madrid Lineup (4-2-3-1)
Jan Oblak – Javier Bonyar, Marc Pubill, Clement Lenglet, Julio Diaz – Rodrigo Mendoza, Johnny Cardoso – Thiago Almada, Alex Baena, Nico Gonzalez – Julian Alvarez.
Unavailable: Alexander Sorloth, Ademola Lookman, Jose Maria Gimenez, David Hancko, Pablo Barrios.
Since the international break Atletico Madrid have been playing in a two-matches-a-week rhythm, which in general is familiar for a club of this level, but when your menu keeps serving up the same rich dish in the shape of Barcelona, which is hard to digest straight away, at some point you need a rest. The game against Elche could provide such a breather.
