How will Atlético bounce back from their Copa del Rey defeat?
La Liga takes no break this week and is already playing the next matchday during the week. On Wednesday evening, relegation-threatened FC Elche will face Champions League semifinalist Atletico Madrid. The hosts currently sit in 18th place with 32 points, just one point away from safety.
According to our Elche vs. Atlético Madrid prediction, this should be very much within reach, as “Los Ilicitanos” have lost only two of their 16 league home games so far. Those two defeats came against Villarreal and FC Barcelona. This is by no means a sure thing for Atlético, though they can likely shift their focus away from the league and sit comfortably in fourth place.
If you look solely at FC Elche’s home record, you really have to wonder how this team could possibly be in any danger of relegation. The hosts have remained unbeaten 14 times in front of their home crowd so far, racking up seven wins and seven draws. This puts them in a respectable sixth place in the home standings with 28 points—though those 28 points are supplemented by just four away points.
With 25 goals scored, the underdog has proven quite prolific at home, failing to score in only two of their 16 league home games—both of which ended 0-0. Most recently, this scoring prowess has been particularly evident after the break—in their last three home games, the Green-Whites have always scored in the second half. Therefore, in our Elche vs. Atlético Madrid prediction, we’re once again betting on a goal in the second half for Sarabia’s side at Betano.
Atletico Madrid is currently in mediocre form, despite reaching the Champions League semifinals. The Colchoneros have lost six of their last seven competitive matches and, with 57 points, are currently four points behind third place but also eleven points ahead of fifth. A spot in the Champions League is virtually guaranteed, so Atleti can focus entirely on the semifinal against Arsenal in Europe’s premier club competition. Away from home, the visitors haven’t had much to celebrate in the league recently: they’ve managed just two wins in their last nine away games.
Their head-to-head record against Elche looks better, however: while the Rojiblancos haven’t won in their last two matches, they had previously recorded eleven consecutive wins. Notably, there have been very few goals in their direct encounters. In the last six matches, there have never been more than two goals scored.
Elche – Atlético Madrid Head-to-Head Record
The head-to-head record between the two teams shows a clear advantage for Atlético Madrid. They have faced each other a total of 56 times, including 49 matches in La Liga, four in La Liga 2, and three in the Spanish Cup. Atlético Madrid has won 34 of those matches, while Elche has managed only eleven victories. Another eleven encounters ended in draws. The goal difference also clearly underscores the Madrid side’s dominance: 117 goals to 52 speaks for itself.
Elche – Atlético Madrid Prediction
Among the top bookmakers, the betting odds for the Elche vs. Atlético Madrid match lean slightly toward the visitors—but there is no clear favorite here. The underdog from Elche has been very solid at home, suffering only two losses in 16 league home games. Recently, the hosts have been particularly active after halftime, scoring a goal in six of their last seven games.
Atletico is in a slump, particularly on the road, having won only two of their last nine away league matches. Overall, they have managed just four wins in 15 away league games. The matches against Elche have been particularly low-scoring—no more than two goals were scored in any of the last six head-to-head matches, and none in the last five matches played in Elche.
