Elche vs Barcelona Prediction - Is It Still Possible For The Blaugranas To Reconquer La Liga?

Next Sunday, Barcelona will travel to the Comunidad Valenciana to take on Elche for round 37 of Liga BBVA on a match that both sides need to win for very different reasons. The home side wants to avoid relegation and the Blaugranas still have some faint aspirations of reconquering La Liga’s title.

Barcelona had a Saturday afternoon to forget last weekend. Tata Martino’s boys were not particularly inspired and allowed a mighty Getafe side to leave Camp Nou with a point in their bags, which might be vital for their battle against relegation. After two unconvincing wins against Bilbao and Villarreal, Barcelona were incapable of celebrating their third win in a row because of a last minute goal from Lafita that closed the final 2-2.

At the end of the match, Tata Martino looked devastated and stated that he is the sole responsible for Barcelona’s poor season. The Argentinean manager also opened the door to his departure from the Catalan team, after claiming that he is not entitled to ask for another chance after this season’s outcome.

Barcelona’s next match at Martínez Valero will certainly be a difficult one, especially if one considers that the last time Elche lost at home was back in December.

For the match against Elche, Gerardo Martino is not yet certain if will be able to rely on Puyol, Neymar and Jordi Alba, who are not fully fit after their respective injuries. On the other hand, the Spanish goalie Victor Valdés and the international centre back Gerard Piqué will miss the match because of their long term injuries.

As for the home side, Elche, the match against Barcelona is of paramount importance in their battle against relegation this season. After last weekend’s crucial 1-0 win at La Rosaleda against Málaga, Elche renewed their hopes of playing at the Spanish football top tier next term. The Franjiverdes are currently at the 14th place of the table, four points above Valladolid, with are the first team below the tragic relegation line.

Elche’s manager, Fran Escribá, will want to continue his side’s positive home record against a frail Barcelona and, if they manage to clinch the three points, they will certainly celebrate their win against relegation.

For the match against the Blaugranas, Fran Escribá is not certain if he will be able to rely on the forwards Manu del Moral and Álvaro Giménez and on the team’s captain Edu Albácar, who are all sidelined because of injury, while the Spanish centre back Alberto Botía will miss the match due to suspension.

When both sides met at Camp Nou back in December, Barcelona hammered Los Ilicitanos 4-0 thanks to a splendid hat-trick from Alexis Sánchez and a goal from Pedro Rodríguez. Next Sunday’s match will surely be different, if one considers the current state of mind of both sides and the recent home form from Elche.

Elche

Stats: W-8 L-15 D-12

Recent Form - WLLDD

Barcelona

Stats: W-27 L-5 D-4

Recent Form - WLWWD

Possible Line-ups

Elche (4-2-3-1) – M. Herrera - Suárez - Lombán - Pellegrín - Cisma - R. Pérez - J. Márquez - C. Gil - Coro - Rodrigues - Boakye

Barcelona (4-3-3) - Pinto - Montoya - Bartra - Mascherano - Adriano - Busquets - Xavi - Iniesta - Pedro - Sánchez - Messi

Prediction

Elche 1 Barcelona 1