Espanyol face a must-win match this Friday against bottom-placed Elche CF in LaLiga EA Sports. A victory at the RCDE Stadium (21:00) is almost mandatory for Manolo González's team before the international break.

The white-and-blue side arrive after losing to Rayo Vallecano at Butarque and have 7 points from six matchdays. The fixture against Elche, who are still winless this season, presents the perfect opportunity to get back on track. The team has worked 1,230 goal minutes so far this season, a statistic they aim to improve in this match. Manager Manolo González will have to cope with the suspension of Omar El Hilali, with Unai Nuñez the main candidate to fill in at right-back.

The centre-back pairing is another area to be decided. Riedel and Drkusic are competing to partner Leandro Cabrera in the heart of defence. In midfield, Edu Expósito could return to the starting eleven in place of Moscardo, while Bryan Zaragoza and Marcos Fernández are also pushing for a start.

The attack, with Roberto Fernández as the team's top scorer with 6 goals, will be the main threat for an Elche side that has conceded 16 times. Elche manager Martín Anselmi could recall Facundo Buonanotte and Javi Morcillo to his lineup after they were substitutes against Real Madrid. The attacking doubt is whether Fer Niño, Elche's top scorer with 3 goals, or Abiel Osorio will lead the line.

Elche CF sit 20th in the table with just 2 points, from two draws and four defeats. Their last match was a narrow 2-3 loss to Real Madrid, with Fer Niño and Abiel Osorio on the scoresheet. Following this match, Espanyol will face Cádiz CF at the Nuevo Mirandilla on 29 September.

In the Espanyol dressing room, the famous words of the legendary Luis Aragonés are echoing. "Win, win, win and win again. That's football," the former coach said, and that is the mentality the team now needs. A positive result would allow them to face the international break with greater peace of mind, while for Elche any point away from home would be an important achievement in their fight to climb the table. The match is played on Friday 18 September at nine o'clock.

More detail at Mundo Deportivo