Sevilla will be aiming to make it back-to-back wins in Spain's top flight when they welcome basement side Elche to Estadio Ramon on Saturday evening.
The home side are currently 15th in the table, one point clear of the relegation zone, while the visitors are still searching for their first league victory of the campaign, with a total of six points from 18 matches leaving them at the foot of the division, 11 points from the safety of 17th position.
Match preview
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Sevilla were knocked out of the Copa del Rey at the quarter-final stage on Wednesday evening, with Jorge Sampaoli's side suffering a 2-1 loss to Osasuna after extra time.
Youssef En-Nesyri's 94th-minute leveller had forced the additional 30 minutes, but Abde Ezzalzouli's effort in the 99th minute proved to be enough for Osasuna to advance to the final four of the competition.
Sevilla did manage to record a huge three points in the league last weekend, though, as an 89th-minute penalty from Ivan Rakitic secured a 1-0 win over Cadiz, with the result moving Los Nervionenses out of the bottom three.
Sampaoli's side are only one point ahead of 18th-placed Real Valladolid, but they are just three points behind 11th-placed Girona, so a couple more positive results would likely see them shoot further up the table.
Sevilla have finished fourth in each of their last three La Liga campaigns; a Champions League spot looks to be well beyond them this season, but they will definitely be eyeing a top-half finish, with the team looking to move on from what was an incredibly difficult first half of the 2022-23 campaign.
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Elche will not have any sympathy for Sevilla, though, as the Green-striped ones have huge problems of their own, currently sitting at the bottom of the La Liga table on six points.
Pablo Machin's side are still searching for their first league victory of the campaign, with a record of six draws and 12 defeats from 18 matches bringing them six points, which has left them in 20th spot.
Elche are 11 points from the safety of 17th position, and it does appear that they are destined to return to the Segunda Division after three straight campaigns in the top flight.
Los Ilicitanos are unbeaten in their last two matches, though, holding Cadiz and Osasuna to 1-1 draws, and they will certainly be the fresher of the two teams heading into Saturday's contest.
This match is even bigger for Elche considering that their next two are against Villarreal and Real Madrid, but they suffered a 2-0 loss on their last visit to Estadio Ramon in February 2002, while Machin's team have the worst away record in La Liga this term, picking up just three points from nine matches.
Team News
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Sevilla will be without the services of Erik Lamela on Saturday due to the booking that the experienced attacker picked up in the league success over Cadiz last time out.
The home side also still have a number of injuries, with Papu Gomez, Alex Telles, Marcao and Jesus Manuel Corona unavailable for selection, but Marcos Acuna is back after a ban.
There will be a number of changes from the side that started against Osasuna in the Copa del Rey, with Oliver Torres, Jesus Navas, En-Nesyri, Karim Rekik and Yassine Bounou among those set to return.
Elche, meanwhile, will again be missing Domingos Quina, Alex Collado, John Donald and Jony Alamo through injury, while Jose Angel Carmona is suspended following his booking against Osasuna.
Carlos Clerc could replace Carmona in the XI, but it might otherwise be the same side that took to the field for the first whistle last time out.
Pere Milla and Fidel should again support Lucas Boye at centre-forward, although Tete Morente and Ezequiel Ponce are options for change in the forward positions.
Sevilla possible starting lineup:
Bounou; Bade, Nianzou, Rekik; Navas, Fernando, Jordan, Acuna; Torres, En-Nesyri, Rakitic
Elche possible starting lineup:
Badia; Palacios, Roco, Bigas; Clerc, Mascarell, Gumbau, Blanco; Milla, Boye, Fidel
We say: Sevilla 2-0 Elche
Elche have drawn their last two in La Liga, but we are finding it difficult to back the visitors to get something from this match. Sevilla have won their last two league games on home soil, and Sampaoli's outfit should have enough quality to make it three in a row on Saturday night.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Matt Law
