Elche vs Barcelona – News and Probable Lineups

Barcelona will kick off their 2026-27 La Liga season with a fixture against Elche on Sunday night.

The Catalonian club aims to reclaim the La Liga title this year, facing stiff competition mainly from Real Madrid, while Elche has already begun their league campaign, having drawn 1-1 with Deportivo La Coruna recently.

Match overview

Elche opened their 2026-27 La Liga season on August 17, starting with a 1-1 stalemate against Deportivo; however, they will face a significant challenge in terms of quality when going up against Barcelona.

Last season, the Green-striped team finished 15th in Spain’s top division, managing to maintain their status for another year, and they are determined to steer clear of a relegation battle in the current season.

Martin Anselmi has taken over as head coach of Elche, with the 41-year-old securing a one-year contract initially with the club, and it will be interesting to observe how he performs at the helm.

This summer, Elche has actively strengthened their squad by adding eight players, which should enhance their chances for the season.

The Green-striped squad is currently on a 12-match losing streak against Barcelona across all competitions, and their last victory against the Catalan side dates back to December 1974.

Barcelona’s objectives for the season are clear: to secure another La Liga championship and solidify their claim for the Champions League trophy. The recent acquisition of Rodri from Manchester City reflects that the Catalan club is serious about their ambitions.

Hansi Flick’s squad did not take part in the opening round of La Liga fixtures, with their match against Athletic Bilbao postponed until August 27 due to several Barcelona players participating in the later stages of the 2026 World Cup.

Barcelona triumphed in four of their six preseason friendlies, including a 2-1 victory against Al Ahly, and they are eager to start their league campaign on a high note.

This summer, the Catalan side has brought in five new players, with Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Jesse Bisiwu, and Joao Cancelo joining Rodri in bolstering the squad.

Barcelona remains active in the transfer window and hopes to sign a leading forward, especially after Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres departed the club this summer.

Team News

Elche will miss both Yago Santiago and Adam Boayar due to injuries; however, the home side is otherwise in good condition for this matchup.

Elche is expected to deploy a 3-4-3 formation this weekend, although there may be a change in the attacking line, with Lucas Cepeda potentially being brought in to start.

New acquisition Fer Nino is also likely to feature in the central role.

For Barcelona, Frenkie de Jong and Roony Bardghji are ruled out of the match due to injury, while it may be too early for Rodri to make his debut.

Nonetheless, there’s a chance that Rodri could start on the bench.

Head coach Flick is likely to grant summer signing Hamza Abdelkarim a starting spot; the 18-year-old found the net four times in preseason and has displayed considerable potential.

Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, and Raphinha are also in contention for positions in the attacking area, but Pau Cubarsi is still working towards full fitness post-2026 World Cup, so Eric Garcia may occupy right-back, with Jules Kounde set for central defence.

Elche probable starting XI:

Dituro; Chust, Redondo, Affengruber; Sangare, Villar, Aguado, Valera; Houary, Nino, Cepeda

Barcelona probable starting XI:

J Garcia; Garcia, Kounde, Martin, Balde; Pedri, Bernal; Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha; Abdelkarim

It’s challenging to envision Elche achieving a positive outcome on Sunday; while Barcelona is still reintegrating key players back to full fitness, the quality in the Catalan squad should prove to be overwhelming for the hosts.