Sevilla vs. Elche
Sevilla’s crisis meets Elche’s historic eight-game unbeaten run in La Liga when the two teams meet at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán on Friday evening. The Andalusians are in a disappointing 12th place in the table with only three points after three matchdays, while the promoted team from Alicante are surprisingly in seventh place and have yet to suffer a defeat. The head-to-head record favors Sevilla, who have been unbeaten against the Franjirrojos for over four years, but current form could turn that statistic on its head. Matías Almeyda can build on the strong performances of Rubén Vargas and Isaac Romero after the 2-0 win in Girona, but will have to do without Sow, Ejuke, and Adams. Elche coach Eder Sarabia, on the other hand, travels with a team that recently impressed with a 2-0 win over Levante thanks to goals from Rafa Mir and Rodrigo Mendoza, setting a club record.
- Venue: Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, Seville
- Date and time: 12.09.2025, 21:00
- Competition: Primera División (Matchday 4)
Sevilla form & record check
FC Sevilla is going through an extremely difficult phase. With only three points from three games, the club is in 12th place in the table and has already suffered three defeats, a series of consecutive losses that may have shaken confidence in the new era under Matías Almeyda. Recent performances show a team in transition: after a 3-2 defeat to Athletic Bilbao in their opening game, they suffered a 2-1 home defeat to Getafe, before finally putting in a more stable performance in a 2-0 defeat in Girona, even if the result is deceptive. It is striking that Sevilla have scored in all their games so far, but have shown major problems defensively, conceding at least two goals in three of their last four games. Rubén Vargas is developing into an important part of Almeyda’s system and provided two assists against Girona. The injury crisis, with six players missing, including Djibril Sow and Chidera Ejuke, is making the situation even more difficult. Level on points with Osasuna, another setback could see them drop into the bottom half of the table.
Almeyda is likely to stick with his preferred 4-2-3-1 system against Elche, although several key positions are affected by absences. Djibril Sow is still out with a muscle injury, which makes Gudelj and Agoumé likely to start as the central midfield duo. Ejuke also remains injured, while Adams is out in attack. In the expected starting lineup, Nyland could be between the posts, with a back four of Carmona, Cardoso, Kike Salas, and Suazo. Vargas will play a key role in attacking midfield after establishing himself as a mediapunta under Almeyda. Alexis Sánchez should lead the line, flanked by Peque Fernández and Alfon González in attack.
Elche CF Form & Record Check
Elche has made an impressive start to the new season and is seventh in the table with five points after three matchdays, still undefeated. The foundation was laid by two draws against notable opponents: a 1-1 draw against Real Betis in the opening game, followed by a surprise 1-1 draw at Atlético Madrid. The team reached its peak in the last league game with a convincing 2-0 home win against Levante, with Rafa Mir and Rodrigo Mendoza scoring in the second half. Elche’s strength after the break is particularly striking, with the team winning the second half in four of their last five games. The team is on a historic run of eight league games without defeat, which began under Sebastián Beccacece and is a club record. Just two points behind a European spot and level on points with Real Betis, the newly promoted team is performing at a surprisingly high level.
Eder Sarabia is expected to stick with his tried-and-tested 3-1-4-2 system, which has served Elche well this season. Dituro is likely to start in goal, with a back three of Chust, Affengruber, and Bigas in front of him. In midfield, I expect Aguado to play as a defensive midfielder, while Núñez, Mendoza, and Febas could occupy the wide and central midfield positions. Up front, Valera and Rodríguez are likely to support Rafa Mir, who could act as the reference point in attack. Yago Santiago will continue to be unavailable for the team after suffering a cruciate ligament rupture. Sarabia has two players on loan from FC Barcelona at his disposal, Iñaki Peña and Héctor Fort, who could well be in contention for a place in the starting lineup.
H2H Sevilla – Elche CF Head-to-head comparison & statistics
The head-to-head record between Sevilla and Elche shows clear dominance from the Andalusians. In the last five meetings, Elche have not managed a single win against the Sevillistas, with Sevilla winning three games and two ending in draws. The last two encounters were different: In May 2023, the two teams drew 1-1 in Elche, while in January 2023, Sevilla celebrated a clear 3-0 victory at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. It is noteworthy that Elche has failed to score in the last three direct duels. A clear pattern emerges from the goal statistics: Sevilla scored at least one goal in all five encounters, while Elche was only successful in the two draws. The games were mostly low-scoring, with four of the five matches ending with fewer than three total goals. The record clearly favors the hosts for tomorrow’s rematch, but Elche will try to break this negative streak at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán.
The market rates Sevilla as favorites at odds of 2.1, but analysis reveals several attractive alternatives. The over 2.5 goals tip is justified by the fact that every league game played by both teams so far has exceeded the 1.5 goals mark. Sevilla has scored in four consecutive games, but has also conceded goals just as regularly, which underscores their defensive vulnerability following the sale of Badé. Rafa Mir has put himself in contention with goals in two of his last three appearances and could cause problems for the home side’s vulnerable back line. On the other hand, the under 2.5 goals bet also speaks for itself, as Elche have not conceded a goal in five league games and four of the visitors’ last five games have ended with less than three goals. The absence of Sow and Jordán significantly weakens Sevilla’s creativity, while Sarabia’s disciplined 4-4-2 formation is designed to absorb pressure. The home win at 2.1 is supported by Vargas’ form with two assists against Girona and the possible debut of Alexis Sánchez, while the odds of 3.3 for a draw seem tempting given Elche’s eight-game unbeaten streak and Sevilla’s inconsistency at home.
