'The best way to defend is to have the ball' - Martin Anselmi outlines bold Elche plan for Real Madrid clash

The hosts enter this fixture on the back of a 1-1 draw away at Athletic Club on Saturday to add to their La Liga points tally. However, Anselmi's side remain winless across all competitions this season while conceding an average of 2.6 goals per game. Ahead of Tuesday's encounter, Elche carry the weight of a miserable record against the capital giants, having failed to win any of their last 16 league meetings.

Speaking during his pre-match press conference, the Argentine manager insisted on maintaining a brave tactical identity despite going up against star-studded opposition. Highlighting his game plan, Anselmi stated: "The fact that we competed at San Mames makes us feel united and shows that this is the path to follow. For us, the best way to defend is to have the ball. I believe we must maintain the same defensive competitiveness from San Mames and defend ourselves with possession."

Anselmi is acutely aware of the visitors' clinical quality and stressed the vital importance of remaining switched on for the entire 90 minutes. Warning his squad of the threat posed by the opposition, he added: "They make difficult passages of play look easy and push you to the limit; we can't afford to give anything away and must stay focused for the entire match."

Madrid could rotate their squad following a 4-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano and a testing Champions League outing against Inter. Jose Mourinho will continue to aim for maximum points to maintain pressure at the top of the table ahead of this weekend's crucial capital derby. Meanwhile, Elche, who remain without the injured Yago Santiago, must deliver a flawless display if they are to halt a three-match losing streak in Tuesday top-flight fixtures.