Barcelona will look to get back to winning ways in La Liga when they host Elche at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Sunday evening.
The Catalan side are currently second in the table, five points behind leaders Real Madrid, while Elche have exceeded expectations since returning to the top flight and sit eighth.
Hansi Flick’s team have lost two of their last three league matches, including a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clasico last weekend. That result increased the pressure on the defending champions, who could be as many as eight points adrift of top spot before kick-off if Madrid win earlier in the day.
Despite a recent dip in results, Barcelona remain the league’s top scorers with 25 goals from 10 games. They have also made a solid start in Europe, winning two of their three Champions League fixtures in the new league phase, with victories over Newcastle and Olympiacos either side of a defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
The Catalans will want to rebuild confidence ahead of their next European match away to Club Brugge on November 5.
History is firmly on their side in this fixture, with 34 wins from 55 meetings against Elche and no home defeats to their opponents in any competition.
Elche, meanwhile, have enjoyed a strong start under Eder Sarabia, collecting 14 points from their opening 10 league games. They come into this fixture on the back of a 4-0 win over UD Los Garres in the Copa del Rey but lost 1-0 to Espanyol in their last La Liga outing.
Although they have shown resilience this season, the visitors are still searching for their first away win of the campaign after drawing three and losing two of their five games on the road.
Barcelona v Elche team news
Barcelona have been handed a double boost with Robert Lewandowski and Dani Olmo returning to training this week following injuries.
Both are expected to feature in the matchday squad. Goalkeeper Joan Garcia is also nearing a comeback from a knee problem but will not be risked just yet.
Several key players remain sidelined for Flick’s side, including Gavi, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Andreas Christensen, Raphinha and Pedri.
Marc Casado is likely to continue in midfield in Pedri’s absence. There are also minor concerns over Lamine Yamal, who is managing a groin issue, but the teenager is expected to start in attack.
Elche have no injury concerns and should have a full-strength squad available. Andre Silva, who has scored four goals in all competitions, will once again lead the line.
On-loan Barcelona full-back Hector Fort returned from injury in the 4-0 win at sixth-tier side Los Garres in the first round of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday but was substituted after 58 minutes.
“Hector is coming back from an injury and I think it might just be fatigue,” said manager Eder Sarabia, via AS. “It won’t be anything serious.”
Barcelona v Elche expected line-ups
Barcelona: Szczesny; Kounde, Cubarsi, E Garcia, Balde; Casado, De Jong; Yamal, F Lopez, Rashford; Torres
Elche: Pena; Chust, Affengruber, Bigas; Nunez, Mendoza, Febas, Aguado, Valera; Silva, Mir
How to watch Barcelona v Elche: TV channel, online stream
The La Liga fixture between Barcelona and Elche is on Sunday at 17:30 GMT (13:30 ET / 11:30 PT) and will be broadcast live on ESPN+ for viewers in the United States.
Fans in the United Kingdom can watch the match on Viaplay Sports, while coverage in Spain will be provided by Movistar LaLiga.
The game will also be available to stream via the ESPN+ app in the US and through the Viaplay app in the UK, both offering full pre-match and post-match analysis.
Barcelona v Elche stats
- Barcelona have scored 25 goals in their 10 league matches so far, the most in La Liga this season
- The Catalan side have won four of their five home games in the league
- Barcelona have lost two of their last three La Liga fixtures, both by a single-goal margin
- Elche have collected 14 points from their first 10 games, with three wins, five draws and two defeats
- The visitors have yet to win away from home this season, drawing three and losing two on the road
- Barcelona are unbeaten in all home meetings with Elche, winning 34 of the 55 total matches between the sides
- The Catalans have won the last ten encounters against Elche in all competitions
- The last time the teams met, Barcelona won 4-0 at home and 3-0 away during the 2022-23 season
Barcelona v Elche prediction
Elche have shown improvement since returning to the top flight and should make this competitive, particularly given Barcelona’s recent inconsistency.
However, Flick’s side have too much attacking power and will be eager to deliver a response after El Clasico disappointment.
Prediction: Barcelona 3-1 Elche
