Espanyol welcome Elche to the RCDE Stadium on Friday evening, with both teams looking to recover from defeats earlier in the week.

The hosts lost 2–1 away to Rayo Vallecano, while Elche produced a strong second-half comeback against Real Madrid before conceding the decisive goal in added time. Despite that performance, the visitors remain without a victory after six league matches.

Espanyol return to the RCDE Stadium

Espanyol have experienced an inconsistent opening to the season, winning two of their first six LaLiga matches.

Their last five fixtures include defeats against Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and Rayo Vallecano, but they also secured an impressive 2–0 away victory over Osasuna and earned a 1–1 draw against Sevilla.

Returning home should give Espanyol a better opportunity to control the match. They have performed well against Elche at the RCDE Stadium, winning three of the last six meetings between the teams. Two ended level, while Elche recorded only one victory.

Espanyol have scored ten goals across those six home meetings and should create enough opportunities against a defence that has struggled throughout the opening weeks.

Elche continue to concede goals

Elche have collected only two points from their opening six matches and are still searching for their first victory.

They have lost four of their last five games, conceding three goals against Racing Santander, Real Sociedad and Real Madrid before Friday’s trip to Barcelona. Their 5–0 defeat against Barcelona also highlighted the defensive problems that have followed them during the opening weeks.

There have still been some encouraging signs in attack. Elche scored twice against Racing Santander, Real Sociedad and Real Madrid, while they also found the net in a 1–1 draw away to Athletic Club.

Their ability to compete going forward makes them dangerous, but they have repeatedly failed to protect themselves at the other end. Playing away from home against an Espanyol side in need of a response could expose those weaknesses again.

Verdict

Elche showed character by scoring twice against Real Madrid, but another defeat left them with only two points from six matches. They have conceded at least three goals in four of their last five games and are yet to show that they can control matches defensively.

Espanyol have also been inconsistent, but their home advantage and stronger record in this fixture give them the edge. They have won three of the previous six home meetings with Elche and should receive enough chances to secure all three points.

Tip

Espanyol to win