Elche CF face a key match in their battle to climb off the bottom of the table this Friday at the RCDE Stadium. The franjiverde side, sitting last with just two points from six games, take on an Espanyol team in eighth place and with better recent form.
Morale is low after a run of five matches without a win. The latest setback came at home against Real Madrid (2-3), a game in which, despite scoring through a Dituro own goal and strikes from Abiel Osorio and Fer Niño, the defence conceded again in stoppage time. That result left the team with a record of zero wins, two draws and four losses so far this season, having scored eight and conceded sixteen.
The attack, with Fer Niño as top scorer on three goals, has shown flashes, but defensive solidity is the main issue. The schedule has not been kind, with games against Barcelona, Real Madrid and Real Sociedad in the early rounds. Now, facing a more reachable opponent in the table, the chance to get points is clear.
The pericos are coming off a loss to Rayo Vallecano (1-2) in their last outing, but had secured an important win in Pamplona before that. With players like Javier Hernández or Rafel Bauzà in their starting eleven, they present a more settled unit than Elche. The battle in midfield, where Marc Aguado and Gonzalo Villar will need to impose themselves, will be key to stopping the hosts' attacks.
Elche's squad, which you can review on the team page, urgently needs a positive result to stop the poor run and build confidence. A point at Cornellà-El Prat would already be a step forward. The match kicks off on Friday, 18 September at 21:00 local time.
