Elche vs Atletico Madrid: Survival mission against battered Madrid side 
Elche welcome Atletico Madrid in a match that carries huge weight at the bottom end of the table. Sitting in the relegation zone, the hosts have no margin for error if they want to stay up. Across the pitch, Atletico arrive bruised by recent setbacks, but they still need to get the job done to secure European football. In the Alicante sunshine, this one could get nasty.
Elche want to turn their ground into a fortress 
The contrast in this side’s form is impossible to ignore. Elche boast one of the best home records in the division, picking up almost all of their points in front of their own fans. Eder Sarabia has built a stubborn, well-drilled unit at home, one that has already taken down bigger names. Their major problem has been dreadful results on the road, but on Wednesday they are back in familiar surroundings.
The mood is pretty upbeat among the Franjiverdes after collecting two wins in their last three league games. For Elche, this visit from the Madrid side is the ideal chance to climb out of the danger zone. They know they will need a heroic effort to withstand the pressure, but their recent home record offers real hope. If Elche can set the tempo, an upset is not out of the question in this scrap for survival.
Atletico Madrid with one eye elsewhere? 
For Atletico, it has been a rough spell. They have just suffered a huge blow after losing the Copa del Rey on penalties. Diego Simeone now has to lift his squad again, with the side also trundling through a run of flat domestic results. Even so, Atletico still hold a healthy cushion in the race for Champions League qualification, and that could breed a touch of complacency.
The focus may already be on the European semi-final against Arsenal. Atletico have also won very few away games this season, which raises questions about their ability to break down stubborn opposition on Wednesday. We know Simeone’s players can struggle for motivation when the domestic stakes dip. Without total focus, Atletico could be in for a difficult night against hungry hosts. Pride is needed here, and plenty of it, if they want to avoid drifting through the run-in.
Probable lineups
Elche : Dituro ; Petrot, Affengruber, Bigas ; Morente, Febas, Aguado, Valera ; Capeda ; Rodriguez, Mir
Atletico Madrid : Oblak ; Bonar, Pubill, Lenglet, Diaz ; Mendoza, Cardoso ; Almada, Baena, Gonzalez ; Alvarez
Football Prediction Elche vs Atletico Madrid
Elche or draw
This looks tighter than it first appears.
On one side, Elche are fighting for survival and have been impressively solid at home since the spring began. On the other, the visitors look physically and mentally drained by recent battles and may already have half an eye on Europe. Expect a scrappy contest where the hosts’ hunger meets Atletico’s occasional flashes of quality. A draw or even a narrow surprise win for the Franjiverdes would not be out of place given the current form.
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