Villarreal vs Elche prediction: expert analysis, possible lineups, October 17, 2026
On October 17, 2026, Villarreal and Elche will face off in Matchday 9 of Spain's La Liga. The fans will demand nothing less than victory from their favorites.
Villarreal - Elche team news and expert analysis
The club from the "Ceramics" finished third last season after winning the battle for the position against Atlético. Nevertheless, Marcelino was dismissed after failing to live up to expectations in the previous Champions League campaign. His replacement, Iñigo Pérez, also suffered a defeat there, losing to Borussia in Dortmund. However, this week the Spaniards finally secured their first tournament win at home against Napoli, prevailing 3-1. In La Liga, meanwhile, the team opened with a pair of draws and three defeats, only turning things around in September with back-to-back wins over modest opponents Málaga and Levante. They also looked competitive against Real Madrid, but even with a numerical advantage, they lost 0-1.
The team from the "Manuel Martínez Valero" made a powerful start a year ago after returning from Segunda, which ultimately helped them retain their top-flight status: with 43 points, just one more than relegated Mallorca, they finished 15th. After the summer break, they began with a 1-1 draw against Deportivo, but then suffered four defeats and recorded one draw, with their only victory coming against Espanyol just before the international break. After the league resumed, they let a win slip away against Celta, conceding twice in stoppage time to finish 3-3.
Ayose Pérez and company score plenty, averaging 1.63 goals, but concede exactly as many. Anselmi's men averaged 1.57 goals scored, while conceding as many as 2.43 per game.
Previous meetings: Villarreal - Elche
The current hosts have won four of their last six encounters, suffering two defeats.
The home side is clearly stronger. We are backing them to win with a "-1 goal" handicap (odds – 1.67).
Villarreal - Elche: key statistics and trends
- Villarreal have won three of their last four matches
- 75% of Villarreal matches end with both teams scoring, while the average total goals per match is 3.25
- Elche have lost four of their last seven matches
Villarreal - Elche: possible starting lineups
Villarreal play in a 1-4-2-3-1 formation (possible lineup): Gulácsi - Cardona, Veiga, Navarro, Freeman - Saliba, Gueye - Moleiro, Buchanan, Akomach - Pérez
Elche play in a 1-4-3-3 formation (possible lineup): Dituro - Chust, Sánchez, Sangaré, Lemar - Morsillo, Villar, Valera - Fer Niño, Cepeda.
Place your bets on the upcoming match and follow your team's position in the Spain La Liga standings
