Sevilla vs Elche match preview and predictions for Wednesday’s LaLiga match. Read on for the head-to-head, team news and predicted lineups as these sides meet for the second time in a fortnight.
| Date | Wednesday 17th March 2021 |
| Kick-Off | 19:00 (local time) |
| Stadium | Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan |
| Competition | LaLiga |
Sevilla vs Elche Preview
There is one midweek game in LaLiga and after this all 20 teams will finally have played the same number of matches. It will also mark a full season behind closed doors in LaLiga with each team having played 38 times since the restart in June.
That’s a sad milestone in many respects, and in few fixtures was the absence of fans felt as much as in Sevilla’s last game – the home derby with Betis. Youssef En-Nesyri struck a 1st Half goal to settle the match in Sevilla’s favour and it was an important result, not just in terms of local pride, but in re-exerting their status as firm favourites for that all important 4th place after a few recent wobbles.
The biggest wobble of all came in the reverse fixture against Elche, which was less than a fortnight ago. Julen Lopetegui rotated his team with an eye on the Champions League trip to Dortmund but Sevilla sunk to a 2-1 defeat at the Martinez Valero. Despite that, which was the end of a run of 3 straight defeats in all competitions, Sevilla are still very well placed and will be 9 points above 5th placed Real Sociedad with victory here.
As for Elche, that win over Sevilla really did ignite their belief that survival was very much possible this season. They’ve been much improved since Fran Escriba took charge and came within a few minutes of taking a surprise point from their away game against Real Madrid at the weekend. Karim Benzema’s brilliant late strike ultimately decided the match in the favour of Los Blancos but it was a spirited effort from Elche.
It’ll be interesting to see how Escriba approaches this game. Having put in such a big effort in Madrid at the weekend, he may be tempted to rest some players ahead of an important relegation six-pointer against Getafe on Sunday. He is still getting to know his squad and may see this as a decent opportunity to give some other players a run-out but they are clearly now a side that will travel with belief that was perhaps lacking before the coaching change.
Head to Head
- Last 5 Competitive Meetings: 3 Sevilla Wins, 1 Elche Win, 2 Draws.
- Elche won 2-1 when the sides met in the reverse fixture earlier this month.
- Sevilla had won all of the previous 3 meetings.
- Elche last avoided defeat on this ground in a 1-1 draw in the Segunda Division in February 2001.
Team News
Sevilla are still missing Aleix Vidal to injury. The likes of Ivan Rakitic and Munir could rotate in for this one.
Winger Emiliano Rigoni is Elche’s main absentee.
Predicted Sevilla Starting Lineup:
Bono – Escudero, Carlos, Kounde, Navas – Fernando, Jordan, Rakitic – Munir, En-Nesyri, Ocampos (4-3-3)
Predicted Elche Starting Lineup:
Badia – Mojica, Gonzalo, Calvo, Barragan – Fidel, Marcone, Guti, Morente – Boye, Carrillo (4-4-2)
Sevilla vs Elche Predictions
LaLiga Expert Predicts: Sevilla 1-0 Elche (follow us on Tipstrr to view our betting tips)
Sevilla weren’t brilliant in the derby but they got the job done. Clearly their defeat to Elche the weekend before last should focus a few minds heading into this game but with home advantage they ought to get revenge although it won’t necessarily be pretty with the visitors unlikely to come with a too adventurous game plan.
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