Elche - Real Madrid

Elche are still waiting for a first league win this season and the defensive numbers explain why, with something close to two and a half goals conceded per game so far. The 1-1 draw with Athletic Club at the weekend was a decent night by their standards, but it came at the end of a five match run without a victory. Real Madrid turn up in the opposite mood after putting four past Rayo Vallecano, sitting on twelve points from five rounds with the trip to Real Betis the only thing that has gone wrong. The history in this fixture is almost comically one sided. Madrid have gone seventeen straight meetings with Elche without losing, and the last defeat here goes back to 1978. Mendy, Militao and Rodrygo are all unavailable for the visitors, but the attack is the part of this squad that has been humming, so those absences do not really change the shape of the evening. Giving a goal and three quarters away from home is a proper ask, and a one goal win costs half the stake, which is the risk worth naming. Against a back line leaking at this rate, though, twelve wins in fourteen suggests Madrid usually find the second and third goal.