Real Madrid will face Elche CF in a match that will begin at 15:15 UTC on January 23, 2022 at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain. The match is part of the LaLiga competition.
MATCH INFO
Start date: 23 Jan 2022 20:45
Location: Madrid
Venue: Santiago Bernabeu
Referee: Ricardo De Burgos Bengoetxea, Spain
Head to Head Record
20/01/22
AET: Elche CF 1-2 Real Madrid
30/10/21
FT: Elche CF 1-2 Real Madrid
13/03/21
FT: Real Madrid 2-1 Elche CF
Real Madrid vs Elche CF Preview
In the 103rd minute of Thursday’s Copa del Rey match at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, Gonzalo Verdu put Elche ahead, but Isco equalised five minutes later before Eden Hazard scored the winner to send Carlo Ancelotti’s side into the quarter-finals.
Los Blancos have now won each of their previous five games in all competitions, including a 2-0 triumph over Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup final last weekend, and a 4-1 home victory over Valencia on January 8.
Real Madrid leads the standings with 49 points after 21 games, four points ahead of Sevilla in second place.
Elche came into Thursday’s match with Real Madrid on the heels of three straight victories in all competitions, including two in Spain’s top flight against Espanyol and Villarreal.
Francisco’s side will have been inspired by their Copa del Rey victory against Los Blancos, while their recent league triumphs have brought them up to 15th place in the table, five points clear of the relegation zone at a crucial period of the season.
Elche finished 17th in La Liga last season, only two points above the relegation zone, and they are looking to win back-to-back titles for the first time since 2015.
Real Madrid Team News
Real Madrid will be missing Marco Asensio and Mariano Diaz due to injury, although Dani Carvajal might return after a recent absence owing to a positive COVID-19 test.
Thibaut Courtois, Ferland Mendy, Luka Modric, Casemiro, and Karim Benzema will all return to the first XI following their Copa del Rey match against their opponents this weekend on Thursday.
Last time out, Hazard and Isco came off the bench to score, but Rodrygo is expected to start with Benzema and Vinicius Junior in the last third of the pitch, while Ancelotti will deploy his first-choice midfield three for the league match.
Elche CF Team News
Following recent positive COVID-19 tests, Josema, Javier Pastore, Pablo Piatti, Helibelton Palacios, and Kiko Casilla remain in question.
Meanwhile, Enzo Roco is still sidelined with a muscle injury, but there were no new problems for the visitors in Thursday’s Copa del Rey match.
There will be some changes to the team that played in the cup, with Tete Morente, Pere Milla, Verdu, and Edgar Badia set to return to the starting lineup in La Liga.
Possible Lineups
Real Madrid XI:
Courtois; Vazquez, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Vinicius, Benzema, Rodrygo
Elche XI:
Badia; Barragan, Verdu, Gonzalez, Mojica; Morente, Mascarell, Gumbau, Milla; Perez, Carrillo
Watch it live on Sofascore.