Athletic Club and Elche meet in the fifth round of the Spanish championship on 12 September 2026, with the two sides heading into the fixture in contrasting form.
Athletic Club are 10th in the table with six points from their opening four matches. The Basque club have recorded two wins and two defeats, recovering from consecutive losses at the start of the campaign by winning their past two games.
Those victories came against Celta, who Athletic Club defeated 2-0, and Atletico, who were beaten 3-0. Athletic Club’s attacking play was a notable feature of both results.
Elche face a more difficult task. They are second from bottom with one point, earned from a single draw, while losing their other three matches.
Their latest results have highlighted defensive weaknesses. Elche lost 3-2 to Racing in their previous head-to-head meeting before suffering another 3-2 defeat against Real Sociedad. The team conceded three goals in both matches against Basque opposition.
Key statistics
Athletic Club are the favourites for the match.
The most recent meeting between the clubs ended in a 2-1 victory for Athletic Club.
Athletic Club have won two of their past five matches, while Elche have lost three of their last five.
Prediction
Athletic Club’s recent victories over Celta and Atletico make them the stronger side on current form, while Elche’s defensive record leaves them vulnerable.
However, the prediction is for both teams to score. The match is expected to produce several goals.