Argentine striker Abiel Osorio is still waiting to make his debut for Elche CF after the first two matchdays of La Liga. The player arrived late for pre-season due to bureaucratic issues and has not yet been named in a matchday squad by manager Martín Anselmi.
Osorio joined the squad 43 days after his teammates, which prevented him from having a normal pre-season with friendlies and integrated training. The Argentine coach has explained that the forward arrived with "competitive inactivity" but that his individual work has sped up his adaptation process. "We see him getting better every day," Anselmi said after the defeat to Barcelona. "He is very close to being able to be in the matches."
Martín Anselmi has indicated that Osorio's debut for the franjiverdes is imminent. The next opportunities will be on Friday away at Racing Santander or on Monday, September 7th against Real Sociedad at the Martínez Valero. The team needs reinforcements in attack, as neither Fer Niño nor Ezequiel Ponce have scored in the first two games. Elche's only league goal so far was scored by Marc Aguado at Riazor.
3. The club sits in 17th place in the standings after taking one point from their opening two matches. The next fixture on the schedule is a challenging away trip.
While Osorio waits, other summer additions have already seen minutes. Facundo Buonanotte, arriving from Chelsea, was one of the few positives against Barça and came close to scoring. Javi Morcillo also debuted against Deportivo, providing calmness and precision in possession. Competition for places up front is high, but the lack of goals means the addition of a pure number nine like Osorio is eagerly awaited.
The team managed by Anselmi has shown defensive solidity in spells but needs to find a cutting edge. Data from our stats section shows Elche has averaged 42% possession across the two games, creating six clear goal-scoring chances.
Abiel Osorio undertook specific physical work in Argentina during his bureaucratic wait, which according to his manager allowed him to arrive in good condition. However, he lacks match sharpness and the "finesse" that comes from daily training with the group. He has no physical issues, Anselmi has stressed, who particularly values the "hunger and desire" the player shows to help the team.
His potential debut would come at a time of offensive need for Elche. The striker, nicknamed "El Tanque", signed a three-year contract with the ilicitano club. His first official match could be next Monday against Real Sociedad, an opponent currently in the upper half of the table.
