| Villarreal are in 4th place and fighting for a place in the Champions League, while Elche are in 17th place, just above the relegation zone. Marcelino's team is an extremely strong host with 10 wins from 13 games. Despite losing heavily to Barcelona in the last round, they remain favorites against weaker opponents. The guests are winless in 10 consecutive matches and are the weakest away team in the league, still without away win this season. Villarreal will try to score an early goal using Nicolas Pepe's speed and Alberto Moleiro's creativity to stretch the defensive line of the away team by three defenders. Mikautadze is in good form and will be the main target for crosses. The guests will try their best to steal at least point as Eder Sarabia is likely to rely on a very defensive formation, trying to close the spaces in front of the penalty area. Elche will rely on mistakes from the opponent to score. Also corners and free kicks, where the physical presence of players like Pedro Bigas can be a factor. |
