Preview:Elche vs Real Oviedo - prediction, team news, lineups

Elche will be aiming to continue their unbeaten start to the season when they welcome Real Oviedo to Estadio Martínez Valero in Spain's top flight on Sunday evening.

The home side have picked up six points from their four matches this season to sit eighth in the La Liga table, while the visitors are 16th, claiming three points from their opening four games of 2025-26.

Match preview

Elche finished second in the Segunda Division last season to secure promotion back to the top flight, and they have made an encouraging start to the campaign, collecting six points from four games to sit in eighth.

The Green-striped ones opened their season with back-to-back 1-1 draws against Real Betis and Atletico Madrid, before recording a 2-0 victory at home to Levante just before the September international break.

Eder Sarabia's side shared the points last time out, meanwhile, playing out a 2-2 stalemate with Sevilla, and they will now be looking to return to winning ways in front of their own supporters.

Elche have won 20 and lost 19 of their previous 52 matches against Real Oviedo in all competitions, and they locked horns twice in the second tier last term.

Sarabia's side were 4-0 winners in the corresponding match in 2024-25, but the last meeting between the two sides finished 1-1 in the middle of March.

Real Oviedo have actually won two of their last four matches against Elche, but Sunday's encounter will be the first time that the two sides have locked horns in Spain's top flight since 1989.

The Blues secured a return to La Liga through the 2024-25 Segunda Division playoffs, and they have already managed to post one victory back at this level, beating Real Sociedad 1-0 at the end of August.

Veljko Paunovic's side opened their 2025-26 campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Villarreal, before going down 3-0 to Real Madrid in their second match, which came ahead of the narrow success over Real Sociedad.

Real Oviedo will enter this match off the back of a 2-0 defeat to Getafe, and three points from four matches has left them in 16th spot in the table, two points ahead of basement side Girona.

Elche La Liga form:

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Real Oviedo La Liga form:

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Team News

Elche have three doubts for this weekend's contest, with Yago Santiago, Adria Pedrosa and Alvaro Rodriguez all requiring late fitness tests before their availability can be determined.

Rafa Mir has been in strong form for Elche this season, scoring three times in four appearances, and the 28-year-old will again feature in the final third of the field for the home side.

Andre Silva will also continue in the XI, while German Valera is set to feature in a wide area.

As for Real Oviedo, Alvaro Lemos and David Costas will miss the match due to injuries, while Ovie Ejaria is a major doubt for the away side this weekend.

Federico Vinas was sent off in the clash with Getafe last time out, and he will sit the game out through suspension.

There could be a change in the final third of the field on Sunday, with Salomon Rondon in line to feature through the middle, while Josip Brekalo is set to feature in a wide area, but Santi Cazorla is again set to named on the bench.

Elche possible starting lineup:

Dituro; Chust, Affengruber, Bigas; Nunez, Febas, Mendoza, Valera; Neto; Mir, Silva

Real Oviedo possible starting lineup:

Escandell; Vidal, Carmo, Calvo, Alhassane; Reina, Dendoncker; Hassan, Ilic, Brekalo; Rondon

We say: Elche 2-1 Real Oviedo

Elche have been impressive in the early stages of the season, and we are expecting the hosts to edge a tight game on Sunday, but Real Oviedo should be able to get their name on the scoresheet.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.