La Liga: New Boys Travel to Big Boys

Atletico Madrid vs Elche

La Liga weekend two and one of the new boys in the Spanish top flight travel to the capital to take on one of the strongest boys in the top flight.

Elche have yo-yoed between the top three divisions over the past decade and, after securing the runners-up spot in the Segunda Division last term, it’s not unrealistic to suggest their main priority this term will be survival.

That means a trip to the Metropolitano is almost a free hit, while Atletico Madrid simply have to win games like this to be in the title mix.

 

Talking Points

With Atletico battling it out in the heat of America at the World Club Championships (where they suffered a surprise early exit) this summer, it’s fair to say Los Rojiblancos have not actually had much of a pre-season.

The summer arrivals have given Diego Simeone’s side a completely new look with the likes of Alex Baena (from Villarreal), Thiago Almada (Botafogo), Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis), David Hancko (Feyenoord) and Matteo Ruggeri (Atalanta) all handed a place in the starting XI at Espanyol in their opener last weekend, while Giacomo Raspadori (Napoli) and Marc Pubill (Almeria) were named among the substitutes – the former coming on for the final quarter.

Yet they went down to a 2-1 defeat at Espanyol which showed, to this SBOTOP’s observer’s mind, why they are not quite going to be at the races.

In a nutshell, they are already playing catch-up on Barcelona and Real Madrid and need to make sure they win their first home game of the campaign.

They will have to make do without Baena who has a muscular problem which will sideline him until the middle of next month, while Jose Gimenez is a doubt.

Other than that, Simeone has a full strength squad to select from.

In many ways, Elche should be welcoming opponents but they will be determined to produce La Liga 2025 highlights and have been busy themselves in the transfer market this summer.

Amongst their recruits, Federico Redondo has arrived from Inter Miami and has been joined at the club by Andre Silva (who has spent much of the past two seasons on loan at Real Sociedad and Werder Bremen) and Alvaro Rodriguez from Real Madrid.

Silva may have struggled in recent years but his pedigree with Porto and AC Milan means he may play a key part in their survival bid.

Their main absentees this weekend are likely to be Josan, who was injured in pre-season, Yago Santiago and Adam El Mokhtari.

Elche had four managers during the 2022/23 season and will want to avoid a repeat of such upheaval to give themselves the best chance of staying up.

Eder Sarabia, appointed in June last year, will be hoping exactly the same!

 

History

Atletico have triumphed in 34 of the 57 meetings between the teams in all competitions with a further 10 draws and 12 Elche successes.

When they last met in the league in the 2022/23 season, both teams with home advantage won.

It was 2-0 in Madrid where Joao Felix and Alvaro Morata scored second half goals.

A solitary goal from Fidel decided the contest in May 23, by which time Elche had already been relegated.

You have to go back to October 1968 (a goalless draw) for the last time Elche avoided defeat away to Atletico, although they did draw there in the 1988 Copa del Rey before losing a penalty shoot-out.

The sides locked horns in the Copa last season and Alexander Sorloth (two, one penalty), Rodrigo Riquelme and Julian Alvarez were the goal-getters in a 4-0 victory in the Estadio Martinez Valero.

 

Betting Tip

Atletico are clear favourites and on offer 1X2 @ 1.24 compared to the visitors who are well adrift @ 9.60 with our La Liga 2025 betting odds.

Likewise, with Asian Handicap odds, options include Atletico -1.75 @ 2.07 and Elche +1.25 @ 2.36.

The draw is considered unlikely given it’s priced @ 5.10, whereas a repeat of the most recent league meeting will pay out @ 4.99 with Correct Score 2-0.

Elche have never won on Atletico turf and it’s hard to see them doing so this time, although the newly promoted club deserve kudos for the way they earned a late draw at home to last season’s Europa Conference finalists Real Betis on Monday night. I have to go for a home win from the outset, though.

   

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