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Valencia will make the trip to Estadio Martinez Valero for a high-stakes encounter with local rivals Elche on Saturday.
Los Che are looking to steady the ship after a jarring 3-2 home defeat against Celta Vigo.
Elche, meanwhile, will hope to halt their six-match winless run in the Derbi de la Comunitat.
Read our Elche vs Valencia prediction, preview and betting tips. You can also check out our Today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Contents
Elche vs Valencia key stats
- Six of Elche's last seven matches produced goals at both ends.
- At least five cards were awarded in five of Valencia's last seven games.
- Valencia drew first blood in five of their last seven fixtures.
Elche vs Valencia preview: Elche's struggles to continue.
| Elche | vs | Valencia |
|---|---|---|
| 18th | Position | 14th |
| 29 | Points | 35 |
| 38 | Goals For | 34 |
| 47 | Goals Against | 45 |
| 6 | Clean Sheets | 8 |
| 9th | Home Rank | 12th |
| 20th | Away Rank | 15th |
*These figures were accurate at the time of publishing.
A narrow 1-0 defeat away at Rayo Vallecano last time out proved costly for Elche, as they slid into the relegation zone following Mallorca's stunning victory over Real Madrid.
Now sitting 18th, Eder Sarabia's men will be desperate to flip the script in this weekend's Derbi de la Comunitat. While they’ve shown flashes of resilience at home this season, the weight of history is against them; the hosts haven't tasted victory against Valencia since October 2020.
Only three teams have been booked fewer times than Valencia in La Liga this season.
Elche enter this game with a long list of injury issues, especially at the back, as up to four defenders are ruled out of this clash, including John Donald (physical discomfort), Hector Fort (shoulder), Buba Sangare (shoulder), and Victor Chust (muscle), while central defender Pedro Bigas is out due to suspension.
Midfielders Grady Diangana and Marc Aguado are both suffering muscular injuries, with the duo definitely ruled out.
Top scorer Rafa Mir, with eight La Liga goals, and top creator Martim Neto, with five league assists, are both available for the hosts, which should be a morale booster.
On the other hand, Valencia's quest for European football took a major hit due to a disappointing 3-2 home defeat against Celta Vigo last time out.
Carlos Corberan's troops now find themselves six points adrift of the European places with just eight matches remaining. With the margin for error effectively gone, Los Che know they must secure all three points at the Martinez Valero to keep their continental dreams alive.
Elche rank third in La Liga for possession, sitting behind only giants Barcelona and Real Madrid.
As has been the case in recent months for Valencia, defenders Mouctar Diakhaby (hamstring), Jose Copete (meniscus), Ruben Iranzo (knee), and Unai Nunez (muscle) are not available for selection due to injuries.
Dimitri Foulquier has not featured for the Mestalla outfit since the Copa del Rey defeat to Athletic Bilbao on 4 February, but the defender has now recovered from his knee injury and should be back in the squad for this game. However, Eray Comert remains doubtful because of physical discomfort.
Goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala is definitely ruled out for the remainder of the season, with his hamstring problem not expected to heal until 25 May.
Elche vs Valencia form guide & betting tips
| Elche | vs | Valencia |
|---|---|---|
| D-L-L-W-L | Form | W-W-L-W-L |
| 4 | Points | 9 |
| 16th | Form Table | 5th |
| 6 | Goals For | 8 |
| 10 | Goals Against | 6 |
Whispers Predicts: Elche 1-1 Valencia
At 2.52, Elche are considered favourites by the bookies.
However, given their recent struggles against Valencia, we are confident that Los Che will hold their own, especially after winning four of their last seven away games across all competitions.
We have also established that both teams found the net in six of Elche's last seven matches across all competitions. BTTS - Yes can be backed at 1.82.
We also fancy draw & BTTS - Yes at 4.30. This combination landed in two of the last three H2Hs.
> BTTS - Yes at 1.82 | Likelihood: Probable
> Under 2.5 goals at 1.80 | Likelihood: Probable
> Match result - Draw at 3.41 | Likelihood: Possible
> Draw & BTTS - Yes at 4.30 | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct score: 1-1 at 6.00 | Likelihood: Outsider