Will Celta Vigo prevail in the relegation battle against Elche?
Just a few days after the energy-sapping cup match in Barcelona, Celta Vigo face their next hurdle on Friday evening – this time in the Spanish top flight, mind you. In La Liga, the Himmelblauen from Vigo will face Elche CF, a direct competitor in the relegation battle. Celta’s opponents on Friday are currently in last place in the table.
It is therefore not at all surprising that the best bookmakers are currently offering odds of up to 3.80 for an Elche vs Celta Vigo bet on the hosts. Among other things, the underdog role is due to the H2h: After all, the “Franjiverdes” from Elche have only won two of their last six home games against Celta Vigo.
In addition, they have lost their last four league games in La Liga anyway. It would therefore be all the more surprising if the negative streak ends on Friday night and a prediction on the host in Elche vs. Celta Vigo comes true.
During the week, Elche – just like Celta Vigo – had to bow out of the Copa del Rey. In contrast to the guests from Vigo, who conceded a defeat against a league rival, the defeat for Elche CF could not be glossed over. After all, the “Franjiverdes” had to bow out of the Copa against an underclass opponent like Ceuta.
Elche – Statistics & current form
Elche are on thin ice at the moment and still only have four points on their account. This means that they are already nine points behind the relegation play-off against Celta Vigo. In a worst-case scenario, the gap could even increase to twelve points.
It is therefore all the more important to score in the upcoming match against Celta. If you take a look at the recent home record of the “Franjiverdes”, Elche CF is not at all optimistic before the relegation battle against Celta Vigo. The team at the bottom of the table has only two points in seven home games so far.
To make matters worse, only two of the last six matches against the Himmelblauen from Vigo have been won at home. If head coach Pablo Machín’s side can improve on that in their next match, Elche vs. Celta Vigo offers odds of 3.80 on tip 1.
Weakest offensive in La Liga
The failure this season has not only been due to defensive deficiencies, but also a lack of offensive power. Elche CF have scored just ten goals in 15 matchdays in La Liga, making them statistically the weakest attacking side in the league. With 33 goals conceded, the “Franjiverdes” are also the shooting gallery in the Spanish top flight.
It is quite possible that the negative trend will continue in Friday’s match. Elche have kept their clean sheet at home against the visitors from Vigo only twice in the last six competitive matches. One of those two home games came in the first half of last season. The match in October 2021 was won 1-0 by Elche CF.
For the upcoming match at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, head coach Pablo Machin will have to do without three players due to injury. In addition, the red-suspended Verdu, Quina and Tete Morente will also be missing.
Predicted line-up of Elche:
Badia – Blanco, Roco, Verdu, Palacios – Guti, Gumbau, Quina – Fidel, Ponce
Last matches played by Elche:
Copa del Rey
04/01/2023 – AD Ceuta FC 1 – 0 Elche
La Liga
30/12/2022 – Atletico Madrid 2 – 0 Elche
Copa del Rey
21/12/2022 – Guadalajara 0 – 3 Elche
Friendly club matches
10/12/2022 – Elche 2 – 3 KRC Genk
09/12/2022 – Leeds 2 – 1 Elche
Celta Vigo – Statistics & current form
Celta Vigo, like Elche CF, lost out during the week and had an early exit from the Copa del Rey. A bitter defeat against Espanyol, FC Barcelona’s most recent opponents, in extra time meant that Celta Vigo were eliminated from the third round of the Copa del Rey.
Until the end of the season, the focus is now on the fight to stay in the league. Although they have not won a match in the Spanish top flight since the first week of October 2022, Celta Vigo have largely stayed clear of the relegation places. Nevertheless, the lead over the red zone is only one point.
Last week, Celta dropped important points in the relegation battle in the six-point game against Sevilla. If the Himmelblauen remain winless against their upcoming opponents, it cannot be ruled out that Celta Vigo will have to give way from the non-relegation zone this weekend.
Does Celta overcome their away weakness?
Celta Vigo have picked up just four points in seven league games away from home this season. This makes head coach Carlos Carvalhal’s team the third weakest away team in the Spanish top flight. Only clubs like Almeria and Elche have scored fewer points on foreign soil than the Himmelblauen from Vigo.
However, bettors who would still like to make a prediction on Elche vs. Celta Vigo can pick up betting odds of up to 2.10 in the event of Celta Vigo’s success. The Himmelblauen do not have any major personnel problems. Only Perez will miss the six-point game at Elche CF due to injury.
Probable line-up of Celta Vigo:
Villar – Nunez, Aidoo, Vazquez – Cervi, Tapia, de la Torre, Perez – Rodriguez, Veiga – Paciencia
Last matches played by Celta Vigo:
Copa del Rey
04/01/2023 – Espanyol 3 – 1 Celta Vigo
La Liga
31/12/2022 – Celta Vigo 1 – 1 FC Sevilla
Copa del Rey
23/12/2022 – SD Gernika 0 – 3 Celta Vigo
Club friendlies
13/12/2022 – Celta Vigo 3 – 1 Brentford
07/12/2022 – Celta Vigo 1 – 1 Boavista
Elche – Celta Vigo Direct comparison / H2H balance
This is the 43rd time the two clubs have met. Celta Vigo currently lead the H2h against Elche CF with a record of 16-12-14. On average, 2.31 goals per game have been scored in the 42 meetings between the two clubs so far. Tendentially, it cannot be ruled out that a prediction of a low-scoring encounter in Elche vs. Celta Vigo will come true this time around either.
In eight of the last nine matches between the two clubs, the three-goal mark has only been broken once. Last season, the home team came out on top in both the first and second legs of the league clashes between Elche and Celta Vigo.
Elche – Celta Vigo Tip
Last week, Celta Vigo failed to win the relegation battle against Sevilla FC. The Himmelblauen “only” took a point and missed a great chance to increase the points cushion on the relegation places. The next important match in the Spanish top flight is against Elche CF this week.
Because Celta played an exhausting cup match in Barcelona during the week, it is obvious that the 17th in the table will only take a few risks in the showdown with the relegation rivals. We therefore think a low-scoring encounter is likely.
Last season, the three-goal mark was not broken in either the first or second leg. With a bet of five units, we therefore also dare to bet on under 2.5 goals in the match for Elche vs Celta Vigo this time. Elche CF already has the weakest attack in the league and has only scored ten goals in 15 matchdays so far. All the more surprising, therefore, would be a scoring feast on Friday night.
