Elche vs Real Sociedad

Elche welcome Real Sociedad to their home ground on Monday evening as both sides search for lift-off in the 2026/27 La Liga campaign. The Monday-night clash on 7 September pits a home side propping up the early table against a visiting team that only found its first win days ago.

Team News and Injury Latest

Elche are without winger Yago Santiago, who is nursing a knee problem, while midfielder Adam Boayar remains a doubt with a thigh issue. Facundo Buonanotte is pushing for a starting berth after impressing in training. Real Sociedad continue to miss long-term absentee Alvaro Odriozola (knee), and Pablo Marin is rated doubtful with a hamstring complaint. Mikel Oyarzabal returned to the XI last weekend and led the side to a 2-1 victory over Espanyol, so he is expected to captain the team again. Igor Zubeldia and Ander Barrenetxea are also set to start, while new signing Héctor Fort could be handed a debut at right-back.

Elche Form Guide

Eder Sarabia’s side sit 19th with a single point and the worst defensive record in the division after three outings. They began with a 1-1 home draw against Deportivo La Coruña, were then dismantled 5-0 at home by Barcelona, and fell to a narrow 2-1 defeat at Racing Santander. Nine goals conceded tells the story of a back line struggling to cope with the step up, and only three goals scored underlines the lack of a consistent cutting edge.

Real Sociedad Form Guide

Real Sociedad started the season with back-to-back losses – a tight 1-0 defeat at Real Betis and a 4-1 drubbing at the Santiago Bernabéu where Kylian Mbappé helped himself to a hat-trick. The 2-1 home win over Espanyol was therefore vital, snapping the losing sequence and injecting belief into a squad that had looked blunt. Oyarzabal’s return made an instant difference, sharpening an attack that previously relied too heavily on Take Kubo and Ander Barrenetxea in isolation.

Key Battle: Héctor Fort’s Emotional Return

One subplot will grab attention: Héctor Fort’s first visit to Elche as an opponent. The 20-year-old right-back, newly signed from Barcelona, spent the 2025/26 season on loan at Elche and became a terrace hero. After a slow start interrupted by a muscle injury, Fort exploded over the winter. His 117th-minute strike sent Elche into the Copa del Rey last 32, and four days later he supplied two assists in a 3-0 league win against Girona, departing the pitch to a standing ovation at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero. “We have managed to tease a very high level of performance out of him,” coach Sarabia said at the time. Now the Spain U20 international returns in the colours of Real Sociedad, likely tasked with shutting down the very teammates he celebrated with only months ago.

What’s Next

After Monday’s fixture, Elche travel to Getafe while Real Sociedad host Celta Vigo at the Reale Arena. Both sides will view this match as a genuine opportunity to bank points and start climbing an unfamiliar lower half of the table.