Real Madrid target third straight win as Elche await at Martinez Valero

Real Madrid will aim for a third consecutive victory in all competitions when they travel to Elche on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, with Jose Mourinho’s side looking to keep pace with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.

The visitors are second, three points behind the leaders, while Elche are 19th and have the second-worst defensive record in the division. Real Madrid have won four of their five league matches since Mourinho began his second spell in charge and will face a side still searching for its first victory of the season.

Elche’s preparations have been unsettled. Eder Sarabia resigned during the summer, while David Affengruber and Aleix Febas were among several senior players to leave. Martin Anselmi, previously of Porto and Botafogo, was retained for a second consecutive season in La Liga but began this campaign with five matches without a win.

After drawing with Deportivo La Coruna, Elche lost three successive games against Barcelona, Racing Santander and Real Sociedad, despite the latter being reduced to 10 men. Facundo Buonanotte’s 50th-minute penalty appeared to put them on course for victory at San Mames, but Inaki Williams equalised for Athletic Bilbao approaching the 80th minute.

That 1-1 draw was a respectable result, but Anselmi remains concerned by Elche’s position. A first win against Real Madrid in 48 years would provide a major lift, although repeating last season’s draw at Martinez Valero appears a more realistic target.

Real Madrid had scored 10 goals in three successive league wins before losing 1-0 away to Real Betis. Carlos Espi had a goal disallowed and Kylian Mbappe missed a penalty in that frustrating defeat. They responded by beating Inter Milan, Mourinho’s former club, 2-1 in their opening match of a Champions League campaign aimed at winning a 16th title.

A 4-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano at Santiago Bernabeu followed, with Mbappe scoring twice and Alvaro Carreras and Jude Bellingham also finding the net. It was Real’s third successive home game with four goals, compared with only two goals in their first two away matches.

Elche have conceded 13 goals in five matches. Real Madrid drew 2-2 on their last visit but have won six of their past eight matches at Martinez Valero, with their previous defeat there coming in a 3-1 loss in March 1978. The visitors are expected to win 3-1 before Sunday’s Madrid derby.

Yago Santiago is nearing the end of his recovery from knee surgery but is not expected back before the international break. Kevin Lomonaco could make the squad for the first time since joining from Independiente, while Thomas Lemar is pushing to start after appearing as a substitute in the past two matches.

Real Madrid remain without Eder Militao, Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Marc Cucurella could start in a rotated defence, with Eduardo Camavinga and Arda Guler also contenders. Yan Diomande, signed from RB Leipzig in August 2026 for a club-record €125m, may drop to the bench.

Probable line-ups

Elche: Dituro; Sangare, Redondo, Chust, Revivo; Valera, Morcillo, Villar, Moreno; Lemar; Nino.

Real Madrid: Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Valverde, Camavinga; Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius; Mbappe.

The listed bets are Real Madrid and over 2.5 goals at 1.46, Mbappe to score at 1.40, both teams to score at 1.60, and a 1-3 scoreline at 8.50 with Betclic.