Elche vs Real Madrid

High-flying Real Madrid take a trip to the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero to encounter warm La Liga relegation candidates Elche in a seemingly routine midweek task.

Elche defied the odds to hold Valencia to an action-packed 2-2 away draw at the weekend, but there’s no consolation for the home faithful as their men have yet to win a league match this term (D3, L6). Nailed to the bottom of the table, five points adrift of safety, ‘Los Franjiverdes’ head into proceedings as massive outsiders after winning none of their last 12 La Liga meetings with Madrid (D2, L10). Winless in all four home league fixtures this term (D2, L2), Jorge Amorim’s men face the prospect of going five straight La Liga games at Manuel Martínez Valero without winning for the first time since February 2021. It’s hard to imagine Elche avoiding that scenario, considering they’re winless in their last four La Liga outings on Wednesday (European time – D2, L4).

On the other hand, Real Madrid brushed arch-rivals Barcelona aside with an overwhelming 3-1 victory in last weekend’s El Clasico to seize control of the league summit and maintain a 100% unbeaten start to their La Liga title defence (W8, D1). Too hot to handle on the road, ‘Los Merengues’ have won all five of their La Liga matches away from home this season and could make it six in a row for the first time since October 2017. It would take something special from Elche to prevent that from happening, especially considering Carlo Ancelotti’s men have won five times on their last six top-flight visits to Manuel Martínez Valero (D1). Moreover, ‘Los Blancos’ are enjoying a six-game unbeaten away La Liga streak against Valencian sides (W2, D4).