Preview : Real Madrid vs Elche - Live streaming, lineups & Prediction

Real Madrid vs Elche

SCHEDULE	TIME
GAME	Real Madrid vs Elche
DATE	23.01.2022
TIME	10:15 AM (UTC)
VENUE	Estadio Santiago Bernabéu
LEAGUE	LaLiga - Round 22

TV Channel Info

More Information

Streaming starts 5 minutes before kick off

Match Preview

◉ Real Madrid‘s first match at Santiago Bernabéu since club legend and former Honorary President “Paco” Gento passed away earlier this week will be an emotional affair as they pay tribute to the only man to win six European Cups. Starting the round four points clear at the top of the La Liga (LL) standings, they’re six points better off than they were after 21 games last term, after one loss over their last 13 league games this campaign.

◉ If ‘Los Blancos’ get ahead in this clash, they’ll expect to prevail as they’ve conceded just two LL goals at home after half-time this term whilst the hosts have won all five home league matches in which they led at the break. With no H2H defeat at home to Elche in 22 meetings (W19, D3), they’ve won both halves in two of the three such clashes this millennium.

◉ That highlights the scale of the task facing Elche, who could soon be sick of the sight of Carlo Ancelotti’s side with them also meeting in Copa del Rey action on Thursday! An excellent 1-0 LL win over Villarreal last time out continued their resurgence up the table as they’re beginning to build a cushion between themselves and the bottom-three, standing at five points ahead of this matchday.

◉ Despite scoring in 73% of their league away fixtures this term, they’ve only won two of them (D2, L7) so extending that unbeaten streak will be a challenge against free-scoring Madrid. Equally as concerning, Elche haven’t conceded less than twice in an away H2H since April 1974 (D1, L8), around the time that Gento was starting his managerial career with Madrid’s reserves.

◉ Players to watch: Real’s Karim Benzema netted a brace in last season’s corresponding fixture and has scored after the 40th minute in each of his last three fixtures, whilst Lucas Boyé’s last four goals for Elche have arrived between the 65th and 80th minute.

◉ Hot stat: Only Alavés have been behind at both half-time and full-time of more LL games than Elche this term (six) ahead of this matchday.

Real Madrid starting lineup:
Courtois; Vazquez, Militao, Alaba, Mendy; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Vinicius, Benzema, Rodrygo

Elche starting lineup:
Badia; Barragan, Verdu, Gonzalez, Mojica; Morente, Mascarell, Gumbau, Milla; Perez, Carrillo

Prediction

Real Madrid 2-0 Elche

Real Madrid will be back at full strength this weekend, and we are finding it difficult to back anything other than a home victory here. Elche impressed in Thursday's Copa del Rey contest but are again likely to come up short against title-chasing Los Blancos at Bernabeu.