Real Madrid vs. Elche: Preview and betting tips

Real Madrid welcome Elche to their stadium in the 22nd round of the Spanish La Liga. It will be the second match between the two teams in a week. After being eliminated from the Copa del Rey, Elche will have something to repay their opponents.

On Thursday, the two teams met in the Spanish Cup semi-finals. Even though Real Madrid were charging at the home goal, their players could not overcome goalkeeper Werner during the 90 minutes. Elche even took the lead in extra time after a red card for captain Marcelo. But Los Blancos did not allow any drama and, despite being shorthanded, turned the game around thanks to goals from Isco and Hazard.

Even though Real are not showing completely convincing performances in the cup, it’s a different story in La Liga. With 49 points from 21 matches, Ancelotti’s charges are top of the table, four points ahead of second-placed Sevilla, 16 points ahead of reigning champions Atletico Madrid and 17 points ahead of Barcelona. In Sunday’s game, they will want to confirm their position and maintain their lead.

Real are doing well at home. Out of ten home games, its players have won seven and drawn three. Elche, on the other hand, have not been very successful on their opponents’ pitches. They have managed to take only eight points from eleven away games. However, they have failed to score against teams from the top half of the table.

But don’t let that fool you. Elche are also riding a wave of good performances. They managed to go three rounds in the Copa del Rey before falling to Real. In La Liga, they have managed to take seven points from their last three games. They beat Espanyol and even Villarreal, which helped them break away from their rivals and move away from the relegation places.

So we can expect another combative performance from Elche on Sunday, where they will rely on their defensive work and counter attacks. On the other hand, Real will also rely on a team performance based on the cooperation of all lines, from a solid defensive to a productive offensive, which should be supported by a midfield of Modric – Casemiro – Kroos.

Real’s offense will rely on the working partnership of the young Vinícius and the experienced Karim Benzema, who will likely be complemented by another young Brazilian, Rodrygo. Benzema (17 goals) and Vinícius (12 goals) lead the scorers’ table throughout La Liga and are expected to be able to assert themselves on Sunday.

The first match between the two teams this La Liga season was played in the 12th round. Real beat their opponents 2-1 thanks to goals from Vinícius Junior. It should be added that the home team played the final 30 minutes shorthanded and still managed to make the match dramatic and Real defended the result in the last minutes.

Probable line-ups

Real Madrid:: Courtois – Vazquez, Militao, Alaba, Mendy – Modric, Casemiro, Kroos – Vinícius, Benzema, Rodrygo

Elche:: Badia – Barragan, Verdu, Gonzalez, Mojica – Morente, Mascarell, Gumbau, Milla – Perez, Carrillo

Real Madrid will again be without the services of Marco Asensio and Mariano Diaz due to injury, but potentially Dani Carvajal, who recently missed out due to a positive coronavirus test, could be available.

Elche are expected to miss goalkeeper Kiko Casilla and defender Pedro Bigas due to health reasons.

Considering their battling performance in the domestic cup, I think Elche will resist Los Blancos’ offense at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and rely on a compact ten-man defensive unit. However, in a home environment and with a stronger line-up, Real will manage the match and extend their unbeaten streak.