Elche vs Alavés – News and Probable Lineups

On Saturday afternoon, two teams battling against relegation in La Liga will face off as Elche hosts Alaves at Estadio Martinez Valero.

Elche currently occupies the 14th position in the La Liga standings, sitting two points above the drop zone, while Alaves finds itself in 18th place, one point behind 17th-placed Sevilla as they approach the final matches.

Match overview

Elche’s impressive three-match winning streak was halted in their last fixture, where they suffered a 3-1 defeat against Celta Vigo, placing them among several teams fighting to avoid relegation.

With a record of nine victories, 11 draws, and 14 losses from their 34 league matches this season, Elche’s 38 points have placed them in 14th position, only two points ahead of 18th-placed Alaves, highlighting the significance of this encounter.

The Green-striped side boasts the sixth-best home record in Spain’s top division this season, having accrued 31 points from 17 matches, while they’re set to take on an Alaves outfit that has managed only three victories in their 17 away fixtures.

Eder Sarabia’s team will face Real Betis, Getafe, and Girona in their final three league fixtures, indicating that the fight for survival will likely be decided in the last moments.

Historically, Alaves and Elche have met on 28 occasions across all competitions, recording 11 wins each, with six matches ending in draws.

This season, Alaves secured a 3-1 win at home, which means that the visitors will be aiming to complete a league double over their counterparts in the relegation battle.

Quique Sanchez Flores’ team is currently in 18th place, one point behind the 17th spot occupied by Sevilla, and they will also arrive at this match after a defeat, having lost 4-2 at home to Athletic Bilbao on May 2.

The Blue and Whites did manage to claim a victory in their last home game against fellow relegation challengers Mallorca on April 25, which stands as their only win in the last five outings.

This season, Alaves has netted 40 goals in La Liga but has also conceded 53, with their defensive struggles significantly impacting their current position in the standings.

Elche La Liga form:

WLWWWL

Alaves La Liga form:

WDDLWL

Team News

Elche will see the return of German Valera to their squad this weekend, as the forward becomes available following a suspension for the previous match against Celta.

However, the hosts will be missing Yago Santiago due to injury, while Rafa Mir will be assessed before a decision is made about his participation.

Andre Silva scored against Celta in the last fixture and is set to continue leading the attack, with Alvaro Rodriguez expected to earn another start.

As for Alaves, Lucas Boye is out for the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, and Carles Alena received a yellow card against Athletic, which rules him out due to suspension.

With Boye absent, Ibrahim Diabate will take the forward position, while Toni Martinez, who has been in great form with six goals in his last six appearances for Alaves, is also likely to start.

Elche probable starting XI:

Dituro; Bigas, Affengruber, Sangare; Fort, Aguado, Febas, Villar, Valera; Rodriguez, Silva

Alaves probable starting XI:

Sivera; Tenaglia, Jonny, Parada; Perez, Ibanez, Blanco, Suarez, Rebbach; Diabate, Martinez

There have only been six draws between these teams historically, with the most recent one occurring in 2016, but a close encounter is anticipated on Saturday that could end in a stalemate.