Elche vs Girona predictions, H2H and match preview for this Thursday’s Spanish Segunda Division play-off Final 1st Leg. Read on for analysis and betting picks as the race for the final place in LaLiga 2020/21 reaches its climax.
Elche vs Girona Preview
The battle for the final place in LaLiga 2020/21 comes down to a straight fight between Elche and Girona with the 1st Leg this Thursday at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero. Both sides won their Semi-Finals against teams that finished above them in the league standings to set up this winner takes all tie.
Elche have had a rollercoaster month or so with their league season ending with them in 6th place but with considerable uncertainty due to the postponement of Fuenlabrada’s match against Depor. Only a Stoppage Time penalty for the Galicians (when that game was finally played) saw them into the Play-Offs but Elche made their presence count by edging out Zaragoza in the Semi-Final.
There was only one goal in the tie, scored late in the 2nd Leg by Elche’s 40 year old forward Nino, a player who made his debut for the club way back in 1998. Elche though will be the underdogs in this tie but they can take some confidence from having beaten Girona 1-0 on this ground in June.
Girona have been very poor travellers all season with an average of less than a point per game on the road during the regular season. However they found a big away performance when they needed it most, with goals from Samu Saiz and Cristhian Stuani sealing a 2-1 victory on the night and 3-1 aggregate win overall against Almeria.
Having seen off the biggest spenders in the Segunda Division, this in theory should be a simpler task for Girona but these high stakes games are notoriously unpredictable and Elche will also believe having overcome some significant hurdles to reach this stage, not least given they were reduced to 10 men after just half an hour of their Semi-Final 1st Leg against Zaragoza.
Elche vs Girona Predictions
Score Prediction: 1-0 Girona
While their meetings with Elche this term didn’t go their way, Girona still look the stronger of these two teams overall with some genuine top flight quality in their ranks. Stuani has been almost unplayable at times this term with the Uruguayan netting in both legs of the Semi-Final to take his season tally to 31. He could be the difference-maker again in this tie and winning on the road in Almeria will also give Girona belief that they have overcome their away day blues.
The Catalans look capable of winning in Elche to take one foot firmly in the direction of an immediate return to the top flight.
Segunda Division Play-Off Betting Tips (18+)
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Elche vs Girona H2H
- Last 6 Competitive Meetings: 4 Elche Wins, 1 Girona Win, 1 Draw.
- Elche did the double over Girona during the regular season.
- They won 2-0 at Montilivi in November before winning the reverse fixture 1-0 in June.
- The last 6 meetings between these clubs in Elche have produced a grand total of just 5 goals with only one scored by Girona in a 1-1 draw in 2016.
Predicted Line Ups
Elche Team:
Badia – Oscar Gil, Verdu, Calvo, Cruz – Víctor, Folch, Ivan Sanchez, Fidel – Pere Milla, Nino (4-4-2)
Girona Team:
Riesgo – Ramalho, Juampe, Miquel, Benitez – Gumbau, Granell – Sáiz, García, Jairo – Stuani (4-2-3-1)
