La Liga 2025-2026: Elche-Barcelona, the probable formations

The match between Elche and Barcelona, scheduled for 9 p.m., will close the Spanish La Liga Saturday. At the Emanuel Martinez Valero Stadium, two teams with quite different ambitions will face each other. L’Elche is 12th in the standings, only three points behind Mallorca, which occupies the top spot in the relegation zone. The Blaugrana, on the other hand, are in the middle of the title race at plus one over eternal rivals Real Madrid.

The hosts, in order to try to counter the opponent’s offensive, can count on a defensive phase that, this season, has seemed solid: in fact, only ten goals have been conceded in eleven games, collecting only one defeat. Coach Eder Sarabia will rely on a defensive 5-3-2: in goal will be the’former Iñaki Peña, five-man defense with Pedrosa and Valera on the flanks, the centerbacks will be Affengruber, Petrot and Chust. Midfield three with Aguado, Diangana and Mendoza, in attack the Neto-Alvaro Rodriguez pair.

Flick’s team in the league is a steamroller, averaging nearly three goals scored per game and only three defeats in these first twenty-one games. Its offensive play characterized by a very high defensive line, however, almost always leads it to concede a lot and concede goals, and the average here also speaks for itself: twenty-two goals conceded in twenty-one games. The German coach will field his 4-3-3 with Joan Garcia in goal, the four-man line with Kounde and Balde on the flanks, Cubarsí and Garcia centrally. In midfield, De Jong will be in the low midfield with Casado and Fermin Lopez. Trident formed by Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres and Raphinha.

Probable lineups

ELCHE (5-3-2): Pena;Pedrosa, Chust, Affengruber, Petrot, Valera; Diangana, Aguado, Mendoza, Neto; Rodriguez. All. Sarabia.

BARCELONA (4-3-3): Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsí, Garcia E., Balde; Casado, De Jong, Fermin; Yamal, Torres, Raphinha. All. Flick.