Barca are in superb form. We can see the table-toppers picking up another three points in Alicante.
Best bets for Elche vs Barcelona
- Both teams to score at odds of 1.62 on Betway
- Second half with the most goals at odds of 1.99 on Betway
- Lamine Yamal as anytime goalscorer at odds of 2.33 on Betway
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Our analysis: Form of both teams
- Score prediction - Elche 1-3 Barcelona
- Goalscorers prediction - Elche: Álvaro Rodríguez - Barcelona: Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Marcus Rashford
Elche are having a solid season following their return to La Liga. They sit in 11th place after 21 matches. While Eder Sarabia’s men find themselves on a four-game winless run in the league, they’ve competed well in all of their recent fixtures. Los Franjiverdes have only lost once at home all season.
In Barcelona, however, the hosts face a team on the march. The Blaugrana are top of the table and have won 14 of their last 15 competitive fixtures. Barca won this fixture 3-1 in November. After a big midweek Champions League win, they will be confident of three more points.
Probable lineups for Elche vs Barcelona
Elche expected lineup: Pena, Pedrosa, Affengruber, Petrot, Valera, Aguado, Neto, Diangana, Rodriguez, Mir, Santiago
Barcelona expected lineup: J. Garcia, Kounde, Cubarsi, Martin, Balde, de Jong, E. Garcia, Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha, Torres
Elche to put up a fight
It’s been a tough period for Elche. They play host to Barcelona, having failed to win any of their last five competitive fixtures. They’ve also got injury concerns and rumours linking key players with departures this month. That being said, Los Franjiverdes have continually put in respectable performances this season.
Lucas Cepeda has come in to strengthen their ranks. Also, top scorer, Rafa Mir, has declared himself fit for this weekend. They’re both big boosts for Eder Sarabia, and he’ll back his side to cause problems for the visitors. Elche have found the net in all of their last 10 games. They’ve only failed to score once at home in 2025/26.
We do think Barca will be victorious, even with the likes of Pedri and Gavi still injured. However, they’re not impenetrable. Hansi Flick’s men have conceded in four of their last six matches. They have managed just three La Liga clean sheets on the road this season. The Catalans are unlikely to have an easy afternoon at the Estadio Martínez Valero.
- Elche vs Barcelona Bet 1: Both teams to score at odds of 1.62 on Betway
Barca’s second-half fireworks
There’s good reason to envisage a busy second half in Alicante when Elche meet Barcelona this weekend. The hosts have scored and conceded almost double the number of goals after the break in La Liga this season. There have been 38 goals scored in the second stanza of their matches, compared to 20 in the first.
Barca, meanwhile, are rampant after half-time. They’ve scored 32 times in the second half of their La Liga fixtures in 2025/26 and conceded only six. They have been most dangerous in attack during the final fifteen minutes.
Looking at recent fixtures, 10 of the visitors’ last 12 goals across all competitions have been scored after the break. Elche could frustrate the away side for a while, but ultimately Flick’s men should get the job done.
- Elche vs Barcelona Bet 2: Second half with the most goals at odds of 1.99 on Betway
Yamal’s frightening form on full display
Flick has a remarkable array of attacking talent at his disposal. Barca boast five players with double-figure goal tallies so far in 2025/26. There are also three who have reached double-figure assists, so the Catalan coach isn’t short of options.
Marcus Rashford has picked up 21 G/A, as has Fermin Lopez. Yet, nobody has contributed more than Lamine Yamal. The 18-year-old talent has scored 12 times and created 13 goals for his teammates.
Yamal got a goal and assist in the midweek win over FC Copenhagen. He also scored against Real Oviedo in Barca’s last league game. Since recovering from injury, he’s got six goals in 13 games. We’re backing him to find a way past Elche, just as he did back in November.
- Elche vs Barcelona Bet 3: Lamine Yamal as anytime goalscorer at odds of 2.33 on Betway