Matchday 11 of La Liga between Barcelona and Elche will take place on November 2 at the Olimpico de Montjuic Stadium. Barcelona vs. Elche: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Barcelona
The team ended last week with an unfortunate defeat in a crucial away game against Real Madrid. Barcelona had the chance to overtake their main rival and return to the top of the table, but their gap has now widened to 5 points. The club has lost 2 of their last 3 matches in La Liga, although before that, Hans Flick's men went unbeaten in 9 league games. It's too early to talk about a clear decline, but there are some warning signs. Notably, Barcelona has failed to keep a clean sheet in 5 consecutive league matches. However, their scoring streak in this tournament has reached 30 matches. In the current La Liga season, the Catalans have been the most prolific scorers, tallying 25 goals in 10 rounds. Equally important is that they have not dropped points at home in La Liga so far.
- At least 3 goals have been scored in Barcelona's last 7 La Liga matches.
- The club's uncompromising home streak in the league lasts 8 matches (7 wins, 1 loss).
- The Catalans have scored at least 2 goals in 6 consecutive home games in La Liga.
Predicted lineup for Barcelona (4-2-3-1)
Wojciech Szczesny – Jules Kounde, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Alex Balde – Frenkie de Jong, Pedri – Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Marcus Rashford – Ferran Torres.
Due to injuries, goalkeepers Joan Garcia and Marc-Andre ter Stegen, midfielder Gavi, and forward Raphinha Dias are unavailable. Midfielder Pedri is suspended and also injured. Midfielder Dani Olmo and forward Robert Lewandowski have recovered and may be included in the squad. Defender Andreas Christensen's participation is in doubt. Head coach Hans Flick has served his suspension and will be back on the sidelines.
Elche
The club impressed with a solid start after returning to La Liga, but their momentum is gradually fading. A 7-match unbeaten run is over, and Elche has failed to win in 3 consecutive La Liga fixtures, suffering 2 defeats in those games. Eder Sarabia's side has slipped to 9th place in the table, but the European spots are still within reach. It's worth mentioning that Elche has yet to win away in the league, with both losses also occurring on the road. A positive takeaway is their relatively solid defensive play. Since the start of the current La Liga season, the club has conceded 10 goals in total, with only Alaves performing better in this aspect.
- Both teams have scored in 6 of Elche's last 8 away La Liga matches.
- No more than 2 goals have been scored in 12 of the club's last 15 league games.
- The team has won with a +1.5 handicap in 8 of their last 9 away La Liga matches.
Predicted lineup for Elche (4-3-3)
Inaki Pena – Alvaro Nunez, David Affengruber, Pedro Bigas, Leo Petro – Marc Aguado, Aleix Febas, Martin Neto – German Valera, Rafa Mir, Andre Silva.
Referee
Miguel Sesma (Spain)
Matches – 5 (La Liga, 2025/26);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 13;
Average yellow cards per match – 2.6;
Red cards shown – 0;
Average fouls per match – 26;
Penalties – 0%.
Barcelona vs. Elche: Match Prediction
Barcelona needs to recover from their defeat against Real Madrid and catch up with their rival in the table, so the players should be motivated from the start. However, given the tight schedule and squad losses, the Catalans must wisely manage their energy before their upcoming Champions League match. It's possible that Hans Flick's men will switch to a more conservative approach at some point. This scenario has become common, which is partly why Barcelona hasn't achieved big wins—they haven't had a large-margin victory in 5 consecutive league games. When it comes to home matches, the Catalans have only recorded a big win in 2 of their last 9 La Liga games.
Elche, on the other hand, is generally resilient and has avoided defeat in 13 of their last 15 La Liga matches. In the unsuccessful games during this stretch, the club lost by a margin of 1 or 2 goals. The team has avoided a heavy defeat in 21 consecutive Spanish league matches. Their away streak without being thrashed has reached 13 games. It's uncertain whether Elche will pull off a surprise and take points from Barcelona, but Eder Sarabia's side should not crumble at the first sign of trouble. Most likely, the visitors will be able to put up some resistance.
Prediction – Elche with a +2.5 handicap
