Previews
SÁB 24.01.2015
Matchday 20 in the Liga BBVA poses the toughest of challenges for Elche CF, who host FC Barcelona.
Fran Escribá's side have picked up an impressive seven points in their first three games of 2015 to escape from the drop zone but this weekend face a Barcelona side gunning for the league's top spot.
Team news
Elche will take the pitch without injured midfielder Pedro Mosquera and forward Garry Rodrigues, who is involved in the African Cup of Nations with Capde Verde.
However, the Alicante side welcome back crucial centre-back David Lombán plus José Angel as they look to maintain their excellent run. Barcelona head to the Martínez Valero stadium with the same objective, but will be without full-back Douglas Pereira through injury, while Ivan Rakitić has been rested by Luis Enrique.
View from the dugouts
Elche defender Lombán, a former Barcelona player, hopes that Saturday's match "is not as unbalanced as the other games we have played with Barcelona this season. We are hoping to improve on the Cup tie (which Barcelona won 9-0 on aggregate) and we want to make life difficult for them."
Barça boss Luis Enrique is wary of the threat Elche pose in the game. "The Liga BBVA is full of surprises and no game is easy," he warned.
"I'm sure the fact that they will have home advantage will make things difficult for us, because they have a lot to play for and because of their characteristics and qualities. We have to play with a lot of intensity in every game or else any team could make things difficult for us."
© LALIGA - 2015