Sports Mole previews Friday’s La Liga clash between Elche and Real Sociedad, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Real Sociedad will be aiming to make it three straight wins in Spain’s top flight when they continue their campaign with a clash against Elche at Estadio Martinez Valero on Friday night.
The visitors are currently 14th in the La Liga table, picking up 12 points from their first 11 matches of the season, while the home side are ninth, boasting 14 points from their opening 11 games of 2025-26.
Match preview
Elche have a record of three wins, five draws and three defeats from their 11 league matches this season, with 14 points leaving them in ninth spot in the table, four points behind sixth-placed Espanyol.
The Green-striped ones finished second in the Segunda Division last season to secure promotion back to the top flight, and it has been an impressive start to the campaign for Eder Sarabia’s side.
Elche have lost three of their last four in La Liga, though, including a 3-1 reverse to Barcelona last time out.
In fact, the promoted outfit’s only win since the end of September came against UD Los Garres in the first round of the Copa del Rey, so it has been a testing period for the club.
Elche have tackled Real Sociedad on 47 previous occasions, winning 12 times in the process, but they are currently on a run of six straight defeats against the Basque outfit dating back to April 2015.
Real Sociedad beat Elche 1-0 and 2-0 during the 2022-23 La Liga campaign, while they have not been overcome by the Green-striped ones since a 1-0 reverse in April 2015.
The White and Blues have had a tough start to the season, but they are currently on a run of three straight wins in all competitions, including their last two in La Liga against Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao.
Sergio Francisco’s side secured the bragging rights in the Basque derby last time out, with Jon Gorrotzategi netting the winning goal in the 92nd minute, as Real Sociedad triumphed in the five-goal thriller with Athletic.
A total of 12 points has left La Real in 14th spot in the table, six points behind sixth-placed Espanyol, and they will be looking to further climb the division ahead of the November international break.
Real Sociedad finished 11th in Spain’s top flight last season, which went down as a major disappointment, and there is room for improvement this term, with a top-half spot certainly achievable.
Elche La Liga form:
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Elche form (all competitions):
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Real Sociedad La Liga form:
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Real Sociedad form (all competitions):
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Team News
Elche will need to assess the fitness of Pedro Bigas, with the defender forced off against Barcelona, but the home side are otherwise in excellent shape for the league fixture with Real Sociedad.
Andre Silva and Rafa Mir have scored four times each this season and will again both feature in the final third of the field, while there will be another spot in central midfield for Marc Aguado.
There are unlikely to be any surprises in the home side’s starting XI, with David Affengruber, who has been linked with a big-money move away from the club, in line to feature in the middle of the defence.
As for Real Sociedad, Orri Oskarsson remains on the sidelines with a muscular injury, while Arsen Zakharyan, Yangel Herrera, Jon Karrikaburu and Jon Pacheco could also miss out.
Ander Barrenetxea is also dealing with a thigh issue, but the visitors are hopeful that the attacker will recover in time to feature in the starting side this weekend.
Mikel Oyarzabal is Real Sociedad’s leading goalscorer this season, finding the back of the net on four occasions, and there will be another spot in the final third of the field for the Spaniard.
Elche possible starting lineup:
Pena; Nunez, Affengruber, Bigas, Pedrosa; Valera, Febas, Aguado, Neto, Mir; Silva
Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Aramburu, Zubeldia, Martin, Gomez; Guedes, Mendez, Gorrotxategi, Soler, Barrenetxea; Oyarzabal
We say: Elche 1-1 Real Sociedad
There has not been a draw between these two sides since August 2013, with Real Sociedad dominating the recent meetings, but Elche are yet to lose on home soil this season, and we are expecting the Green-striped ones to be good enough for a point here.
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