Elche vs Barcelona - prediction, team news, lineups

Barcelona volition statesman their 2026-27 La Liga run with a clash against Elche connected Sunday night.

The Catalan giants are bidding to clasp the La Liga rubric this season, with their main contention acceptable to again travel from Real Madrid, portion Elche person already started their league campaign, drafting 1-1 with Deportivo La Coruna past clip out.

Match preview

Elche started their 2026-27 La Liga run connected August 17, opening up with a 1-1 gully against Deportivo, but they volition present person a immense measurement up successful prime present against Barcelona.

The Green-striped ones finished 15th successful Spain's apical formation past play to marque it back-to-back campaigns astatine this level, and they volition beryllium determined to debar a relegation conflict successful 2026-27.

Martin Anselmi is present successful complaint of Elche, with the 41-year-old signing an archetypal one-year declaration astatine the club, and it volition beryllium fascinating to spot however helium performs astatine the helm.

Elche person been engaged during this summer's transportation window, boosting their squad with the arrivals of 8 players, which should basal them successful bully stead for the season.

The Green-striped ones are presently connected a 12-game losing tally against Barcelona successful each competitions, portion they person not flooded the Catalan squad since December 1974.

Barcelona's hopes for this play are wide - triumph different La Liga rubric and marque a beardown assertion for the Champions League trophy, and the caller accomplishment of Rodri from Manchester City has shown that the Catalan outfit mean concern erstwhile again.

Hansi Flick's broadside were not progressive successful the opening acceptable of La Liga fixtures, with their crippled against Athletic Bilbao being postponed until August 27 owed to the information that Barcelona had a fig of players progressive successful the second stages of the 2026 World Cup.

Barcelona won 4 of their six pre-season friendlies, including a 2-1 occurrence implicit Al Ahly past clip out, and they volition beryllium determined to commencement their run connected a winning note.

The Catalan broadside person added 5 players to their squad this summer, with Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, Jesse Bisiwu and Joao Cancelo joining Rodri astatine the club.

Barcelona stay progressive successful the transportation marketplace and are hopeful of adding a prima forward, with Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres some leaving the nine this summer.

Elche La Liga form:

Barcelona pre-season form:

Team News

Elche volition beryllium without the services of some Yago Santiago and Adam Boayar done injury, but the location broadside are different successful beardown signifier for this contest.

It is erstwhile again expected to beryllium a 3-4-3 enactment for Elche this weekend, but determination could beryllium a alteration successful the last 3rd of the field, with Lucas Cepeda perchance coming successful for a start.

New signing Fer Nino is besides acceptable to diagnostic done the middle.

As for Barcelona, Frenkie de Jong and Roony Bardghji are some retired of the lucifer done injury, portion the crippled has travel excessively soon for Rodri successful presumption of a imaginable debut for the Spaniard.

Head manager Flick is expected to reward summertime arrival Hamza Abdelkarim with a start; the 18-year-old scored 4 times during pre-season and has shown himself to beryllium a immense talent.

Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez and Raphinha are besides successful enactment for spots successful the last 3rd of the field, but Pau Cubarsi is inactive gathering backmost to afloat fittingness aft the 2026 World Cup, truthful it could beryllium Eric Garcia astatine right-back and Jules Kounde successful the mediate of the defence.

Elche imaginable starting lineup:

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

Barcelona imaginable starting lineup:

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

We say: Elche 1-3 Barcelona

It is hard to ideate Elche coming up with a affirmative effect connected Sunday; Barcelona are inactive getting cardinal players backmost to afloat fitness, but the Catalan outfit should person excessively overmuch prime for the hosts.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.