Barcelona enters Saturday’s match against Elche with momentum, having secured a spot in the top eight of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday. The team, coached by Hansi Flick, avoided the playoff round, a fate that befell LaLiga rivals Real Madrid after their loss to Benfica. Currently holding a one-point lead over Real Madrid in the league standings, Barcelona aims to widen the gap with a victory this weekend.
Barcelona Looks to Extend LaLiga Lead Against Elche
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Here’s what fans need to know before the Saturday showdown.
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 31 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero — Elche
- Live Stream: ESPN+
- Odds: Elche +638; Draw +464; Barcelona -287
Flick acknowledged Elche’s strengths in a pre-game press conference. “In the first-round match, they had more possession of the ball. Eder Sarabia has done a fantastic job and I like the way his team plays. They are brave and create a lot of chances. I enjoy analyzing them and watching how they play.” He emphasized the long season ahead, stating, “There is still a long way to go until the end of the season and we have to take it game by game…LaLiga is a great competition and we will fight until the end, just as Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid or Villarreal will.”
Projected Starting Lineups
Elche XI: Inaki Pena; Victor Chust, David Affengruber, Pedro Bigas, German Valera, Adria Pedrosa; Grady Diangana, Marc Aguado, Martim Neto; Alvaro Rodriguez, Andre Silva.
Barcelona XI: Joan Garcia; Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Eric Garcia, Alejandro Balde; Frenkie de Jong, Marc Bernal; Lamine Yamal, Fermin Lopez, Raphinha; Robert Lewandowski.
Match Prediction
Pick: Barcelona 3, Elche 0.
