Espanyol - Elche

Espanyol arrive at matchday 7 seeking to steady their course after a narrow defeat to Rayo Vallecano interrupted a brief resurgence that included a clean-sheet victory over Osasuna. The hosts will need to adjust their defensive structure for this contest as Omar El Hilali serves a suspension, with the expected XI featuring a backline led by Leandro Cabrera and Clemens Riedel. Meanwhile, Elche travel to the RCDE Stadium searching for their first win of the campaign. Their recent form has been defined by high-scoring encounters, including a spirited effort in a 3-2 loss against Real Madrid, though defensive fragility has left them without a victory in their opening fixtures.

The two sides last met in LaLiga on 1 March 2026, where they played out a 2-2 draw. As they renew their acquaintance, the question remains whether Espanyol can leverage their home advantage to exploit Elche's current defensive vulnerabilities, or if the visitors can finally find the clinical edge required to secure a breakthrough result.