PREVIEW | Elche vs Villarreal - team news, lineups, predictions

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·1 January 2026

PREVIEW | Elche vs Villarreal - team news, lineups, predictions

Elche and Villarreal clash this Saturday at the Manuel Martínez Valero on Match Day 18 of the La Liga.

Elche have picked up 22 points and currently lie in 9th position. In their last fixture, Eder Sarabia's team won 4-0 against Rayo Vallecano (La Liga 2025/26).

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Villarreal currently have 35 points and lie in 4th position. In their last encounter, Marcelino Toral's team were beaten 0-2 by Barcelona (La Liga 2025/26).

The last meeting between the two teams ended with Elche winning 3-1.

Predicted lineups

Elche: Iñaki Peña, John Chetauya, David Affengruber, Pedro Bigas, Héctor Fort, Marc Aguado, Aleix Febas, Germán Valera, Álvaro Núñez, Álvaro Rodríguez, Rafa Mir

Villarreal: Luiz Júnior, Pau Navarro, Rafa Marín, Jean Valou, Sergi Cardona, Nicolas Pépé, Santi Comesaña, Dani Parejo, Alberto Moleiro, Ayoze Pérez, Tani Oluwaseyi

Unavailable

Elche

Villarreal

Pape Gueye - Called Up To National Team
Ilias Akhomach - Called Up To National Team
Logan Costa - Cruciate Ligament Tear
Pau Cabanes - Cruciate Ligament Tear
Thomas Partey - Muscle Injury

Last starting XIs

Elche ( vs Rayo Vallecano 2025-12-21): Iñaki Peña, John Chetauya, David Affengruber, Pedro Bigas, Héctor Fort, Germán Valera, Aleix Febas, Álvaro Núñez, Marc Aguado, Rafa Mir, Álvaro Rodríguez

Villarreal ( vs Barcelona 2025-12-21): Luiz Júnior, Pau Navarro, Renato Veiga, Rafa Marín, Sergi Cardona, Tajon Buchanan, Dani Parejo, Santi Comesaña, Alberto Moleiro, Nicolas Pépé, Ayoze Pérez

Did you know...by playmaker stats

MANAGERS

Marcelino Toral has faced Elche on 20 occasions, recording nine wins, five draws and six losses.

TEAMS

Away from home, Villarreal currently has one draw in the last 12 games.
Away from home, Villarreal comes from three consecutive games scoring goals.
Away from home, Villarreal comes from four consecutive games conceding goals.
Away from home, Villarreal comes from two consecutive games without winning.
Villarreal currently has one draw in the last 14 games.
Villarreal comes from three consecutive games conceding goals.
Villarreal comes from three consecutive games without winning.
Villarreal comes from three consecutive defeats.
At home, Elche comes from four consecutive games scoring goals.
At home, Elche comes from nine consecutive games without losing.
At home, Elche comes from two consecutive victories.
Elche currently has one defeat in the last five games.
Elche comes from five consecutive games scoring goals.
Elche comes from two consecutive games without losing.
Elche comes from two consecutive victories.

HEAD TO HEAD

Elche and Villarreal have faced each other 22 times, there is no advantage between Elche and Villarreal: seven wins for each team in 22 games.
At Manuel Martínez Valero, Elche has an advantage in the duels against Villarreal: five wins in 11 games. Villarreal has two wins.
In the Spanish League, ten matches have been played between the two teams, with two victories for Elche, four draws and four wins for Villarreal.