Another landslide win for Barca in La Liga?
In just over two months, the controversial 2022 FIFA World Cup will kick off in Qatar. Since play in Europe’s top leagues will then logically be suspended and teams with a large number of international players in particular fear a competitive disadvantage in the new calendar year, the aim in the weeks leading up to the start of the World Cup finals for numerous top teams is to build up a small cushion to better compensate for any slip-ups.
FC Barcelona is also one of the clubs that will have to withdraw a large number of players in the winter. Immediately before the start of the first international break this season, the Catalans are once again challenged in La Liga on Saturday afternoon. Under normal circumstances, however, the task against the second-last team in the standings should be a mere formality. At least, if the lopsided betting odds on the three-way market between Barcelona and Elche are to be believed.
Coach Xavi’s side, who lost 2-0 to FC Bayern at the Allianz Arena in Munich last week despite a strong first half, will be aiming for a fifth straight win at league level. Admittedly, everything points to a home win in the Barcelona vs. Elche clash, as we are talking about a relegation candidate from the province of Alicante who have only managed to pick up a single point so far this season.
Barcelona – Statistics & current form
It’s fun to watch FC Barcelona play football again. Last season, the Catalans were shown up at will by Bayern in both CL group matches, but on Tuesday evening, the strengthened Xavi eleven was at least on a par with the record champions. With a slightly improved chance management, a lead for the visitors from Spain would not have been undeserved in the first 45 minutes. The 2-0 defeat in the end shows that Barca’s development process is far from complete.
Nevertheless, it must be stated without a doubt that the trend is going in the right direction. This is also underlined by the course of the season so far in La Liga, because after a 0-0 draw against Rayo Vallecano on the first matchday, the Blue-Red have recently celebrated four victories in a row.
You can rely on Lewandowski
The last three victories were all without conceding a goal and with at least a three-goal difference. So it’s no wonder that we also favour a win by the star ensemble on Saturday between Barcelona and Elche. If you are not a fan of handicap bets – also due to the odds offered – you can possibly put money on the favourite winning both halves.
Although the match against the green-striped team will conclude the second English week in a row, it can be assumed that coach Xavi will send his best team onto the pitch. With the necessary seriousness and earnestness, nothing should go wrong at all because of the pronounced difference in quality and the good form of the host.
Even if the FCB should struggle more than expected, they still have a difference-maker at their disposal in Robert Lewandowski, who often gets the maximum out of few chances. By the way, should the Pole score the first goal of the match, odds of 2.60 are offered for this between Barcelona and Elche at the top.
Predicted Barcelona line-up:
Ter Stegen; Bellerin, Araujo, Kounde, Balde; De Jong, Busquets, Pedri; F Torres, Lewandowski, Dembele
Last matches played by Barcelona:
Champions League Grp. C
14/09/2022 – Bayern Munich 2 – 0 FC Barcelona
La Liga
10/09/2022 – Cadiz 0 – 4 FC Barcelona
Champions League Grp. C
08/09/2022 – FC Barcelona 5 – 1 Viktoria Pilsen
La Liga
04/09/2022 – FC Sevilla 0 – 3 FC Barcelona
29/08/2022 – FC Barcelona 4 – 0 Real Valladolid
Elche – Statistics & current form
With 42 points, a total of eleven wins and 13th place, Elche Clúb de Fútbol were able to secure their place in the league last season with a four-point lead. The green-striped team is now entering its third consecutive season in the Spanish top flight. But the task of staying in the league will definitely not be any easier. Once again, the club from the province of Alicante is one of the hottest candidates for relegation in the Primera Division.
The first matches in 2022/23 have already shown that it could be even tighter than in the previous season. After five matchdays, the team of coach Francisco Rodríguez has just one measly point. Only the home match against promoted Almeria resulted in a draw. The other four games were lost.
Elche lacks league fitness so far
The offensive has been particularly harmless so far, with Lucas Boyé actually the only real star in the team. The 26-year-old Argentine, who scored seven goals and set up three others last season, has yet to score in the current season and has only scored two goals in total. Only bottom-placed Cadiz, who are still without a point, have scored fewer goals at this stage.
Apart from that, the two most recent results also provide enough arguments to force a prediction on the Blaugrana in the clash between Barcelona and Elche. The green-whites first lost 0:4 at Villarreal and were also shown the limits by Athletic Bilbao in a 1:4 defeat at home the previous week. Six of the eight goals conceded on these two matchdays came in the first half, so it may also be an option to bet on at least two goals before the break.
Predicted line-up of Elche:
Badia; Lirola, Roco, Bigas, Mercau; Collado, Fidel; Quina, Ponce, Milla; Boye
Last matches played by Elche:
La Liga
11/09/2022 – Elche 1 – 4 Athletic Bilbao
04/09/2022 – Villarreal FC 4 – 0 Elche
27/08/2022 – Elche 0 – 1 Real Sociedad
23/08/2022 – Elche 1 – 1 Almeria
16/08/2022 – Real Betis 3 – 0 Elche
Barcelona – Elche Direct comparison / H2H balance
In total, the clubs have already played 46 matches at first division level. Of course, the majority of the encounters (26) went to Barca. Elche have celebrated a total of eight victories, but none at the Camp Nou. Last season, however, the Catalans had a surprisingly difficult time in the first and second legs. They won 2:1 away and 3:2 at home. Nevertheless, these were already the fifth and sixth victories against Elche in a row. We have no doubt that number seven will follow at the weekend.
Barcelona – Elche tip
FC Barcelona face a must-win task on Saturday afternoon. At 16:15, the current second-placed team in La Liga will face the penultimate-placed team. The Catalans have won the last six direct duels against their upcoming opponents. Given their current form, the seventh encounter in a row should be a mere formality.
Lewandowski and Co. have not only won four times in a row at national level, but have also scored three times. 15 goals scored in this period correspond to an average of almost four goals per game. In three cases, both halves were always won. The Xavi team is currently dominating many opponents at will and, in the aforementioned Lewandowski, finally has a world-class enforcer again.
We have therefore decided to play a bet between Barcelona and Elche on the title contender in La Liga winning both halves.
