Alex Collado was one of the signings that stirred the most excitement among fans. A young, talented Catalan talent, he drew interest from several clubs, yet Elche CF ultimately secured him on loan from Fenerbahçe and Barcelona.
Midfielder Martínez Valero seemed poised to witness a display of class from Collado as Xavi Hernández’s Barça space opened up for him. He arrived on 13 August and began training with Elche even before the two clubs formalized the deal. On 15 August he joined the squad search and traveled to Seville for the Betis match, while his La Liga registration was still pending. Hours before the meeting at the Benito Villamarín, Barcelona and Elche confirmed the loan. Collado was initially in the reserve, but after only two training sessions, the coach believed rushing him into minutes would be unfair to the squad and teammates. The situation was complicated by an early, difficult departure involving John Chetauya and an early second‑half sending-off that left Elche with ten players.
The wait to see him in action lasted a week. When he finally stepped onto the stage, his debut was electric. Against Almería on the second matchday, the young talent wore the starting eleven, carried the team on his shoulders, and struck the equalizer. He emerged as Elche’s standout in the 22nd minute, after Sadiq put the Andalusians ahead in the 29th, and he played until the 86th minute when Pastore replaced him due to fatigue.
The crowds watched a player who impressed with a dazzling touch and the instinct to lift the squad’s level. His performance suggested he could be a high-impact signing and a catalyst for the team to climb in quality and momentum.
Over the following fixtures, Collado remained a key figure with Real Sociedad and the Elche attack being shaped around his ability to create from the right flank, helping to drive offensive moves and link play between defense and forward options. Yet his time on loan began to wane as minutes dwindled, and he found himself gradually slipping from the matchday squad.
He returned to action against Villarreal but was substituted for Domingos Quina in the 70th minute. He appeared again in the last match against Athletic Club de Bilbao at Martinez Valero, rejoining the starting eleven before Fidel came on to replace him late in the action. In the subsequent three games against Barcelona, Rayo Vallecano, and Mallorca, with coaches Francisco and Gallego at the helm, Collado did not feature and watched from the bench as the season progressed.
The shift in system played a role in his match allocation. The squad’s approach pivoted to a more compact shape with three central defenders and two wide players. Two coaches, both briefings shorter than planned, chose to inject more bite in the middle, emphasizing midfield resilience with Gumbau, Raúl Guti, Mascarell, and Domingos Quina providing the needed coverage. The value of Collado, a talent attached to Barcelona, remained clear to the observers who believed he could still be a decisive asset for Elche if utilized effectively.
In the eyes of many, Collado’s talent is rare on the roster. Preserving this asset for the right moment has been considered essential to help the team claw out of a tricky stretch. The arrival of Jorge Almirón to the franchise bench gave Elche a fresh opportunity to reimagine how Collado could contribute and steer the squad toward improved results, especially as the season sought stability and cohesion on the field.