Preview: Elche vs Villarreal - prediction, team news, lineups

Villarreal will be aiming to return to winning ways in Spain's top flight when they resume their campaign with a clash against Elche on Saturday evening.

The Yellow Submarine are fourth in the La Liga table, two points behind third-placed Atletico Madrid, while their hosts are ninth, boasting 22 points from 17 matches.

Match preview

Elche have a record of five wins, seven draws and five defeats from their 17 league matches this season, with 22 points from nine matches leaving them in ninth.

Eder Sarabia's side, who finished second in the Segunda Division last season, are only six points behind sixth-placed Real Betis, so it has been a very impressive first half of the campaign for the promoted outfit.

The Green-striped ones ended 2025 with a 4-0 win over Rayo Vallecano, while they also beat Eibar in the Copa del Rey on December 16, so the hosts are bidding to secure a third straight success in all competitions this weekend.

Elche have won four of their last five matches in all competitions, and they are actually unbeaten at home this term, winning five and drawing four of their nine matches.

The Green-striped ones recorded a 3-1 victory over Villarreal in the last match between the two sides in this stadium back in March 2023, but the reverse game was 4-0 to the Yellow Submarine.

Villarreal, meanwhile, have a record of 11 wins, two draws and three defeats from their 16 La Liga matches this season, with 35 points leaving them in fourth spot in the table, 11 points behind the leaders Barcelona.

The Yellow Submarine actually have two games in hand on the top three, so their start to the season has been excellent, and it has been built on a strong defensive record, having only conceded 15 times in their opening 16 matches.

Marcelino's side have actually lost their last three matches in all competitions, going down to Copenhagen in the Champions League and Racing Santander in the Copa del Rey before the 2-0 home defeat to Barcelona in the league last time out.

However, Villarreal have been victorious in six of their last seven league matches, with that winning run coming to an end against Barcelona.

The Yellow Submarine have struggled in the league stage of this season's Champions League, but they will be expecting to seriously challenge for another spot in the competition next term due to their performance level in La Liga this term.

Elche La Liga form:

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Elche form (all competitions):

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Villarreal La Liga form:

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Villarreal form (all competitions):

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Team News

Elche have been hit with the news that on-loan Barcelona defender Hector Fort will be missing for the next two months after suffering a dislocated shoulder during the team's clash with Rayo Vallecano before the winter break.

Andre Silva and Grady Diangana are also expected to be absent on Saturday, so Alvaro Rodriguez, who was on the scoresheet against Rayo Vallecano, is in line to continue in the final third of the field alongside Rafa Mir.

Federico Redonda will also be absent for the hosts through suspension, having been given a red card against Rayo Vallecano when he was not on the field.

As for Villarreal, Tajon Buchanan and Renato Veiga are out of the match through suspension, while Ilias Akhomach and Pape Gueye are involved in the Africa Cup of Nations and will therefore not feature.

Alfonso Pedraza, Santiago Mourino, Thomas Partey, Pau Cabanes, Willy Kambwala and Logan Costa could again miss out through injury, but the visitors are hopeful that Juan Foyth will be involved.

There should also be a return in the final third of the field for Georges Mikautadze, with Nicolas Pepe set to move into a wide area for the Yellow Submarine.

Elche possible starting lineup:

Pena; Donald, Affengruber, Bigas; Neto, Nunez, Aguado, Febas, Valera; Rodriguez, Mir

Villarreal possible starting lineup:

Luiz Junior; Navarro, Marin, Foyth, Cardona; Pepe, Comesana, Parejo, Moleiro; Mikautadze, Perez

We say: Elche 1-1 Villarreal

Elche are excellent at home, and we are finding it difficult to back Villarreal on Saturday, even considering the away side's recent form in La Liga, so a score draw could be on the cards.

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