Elche CF has begun the current campaign with a rough stretch that mirrors some of the toughest starts in its history. After a 0-1 defeat to Real Sociedad last Saturday, the club finds itself with one point from its first nine, a record that marks the worst start to a top-flight season for Elche in the 21st century and the bleakest since 1969, according to reports. The sequence began with a loss at home to Betis, a 3-0 result, followed by a solitary home point in a draw with Almería, and then another setback at Martínez Valero in a 1-0 loss to Real Sociedad. The pattern is stark evidence of how difficult it has been for the team to defend its status at the highest level this term.
Looking back at last season, Elche collected only two points from the opening three fixtures after drawing with Athletic Bilbao and later losing to Atlético Madrid and Sevilla. Those early results foreshadowed a season that would prove challenging, testing the squad’s resilience from the outset.
Two years earlier, after earning promotion, Elche managed four points in the same early window, securing a 3-0 win over Real Sociedad, a 0-1 win away at Eibar, and a 0-0 draw with Huesca. That campaign showed the club could steal results in bursts, but it did not consistently translate into a stable run over the opening weeks.
In the previous first-division term, at the start of the last decade, Elche again faced a slow start, tallying only two points during the opening rounds. The 2013-14 season opener featured a loss to Vallecas, a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad, and a 2-2 draw with Almería. The following season began with optimism but yielded a 3-0 loss to Barcelona, a 1-1 stalemate with Grenade, and a 2-3 win over Vallecas, illustrating how the club drifted between moments of resistance and periods of struggle.
As the years progressed, Elche’s early results continued to shape perceptions of the club’s capacity to contend in Spain’s top division. The 2014-15 academic year began with a 3-0 defeat to Barcelona, followed by a 1-1 draw and a 2-3 victory, revealing that even when the squad showed tenacity, it often faced a tough road in the opening fixtures. The ongoing pattern this season remains a focal point for fans and analysts who watch the team attempt to reestablish stability at the highest level.
The current start to the competition stands as the worst since those early days of the 1969-70 season, when Elche opened with a trio of losses to Palm, Real Madrid, and Deportivo de La Coruña. That historic downturn set a benchmark for difficult beginnings, a standard that the present squad is understandably eager to overcome. Coaches, players, and supporters alike are aware that turning around a slow start requires tactical adjustments, sharper front-foot pressure, and a stronger collective mentality. The club continues to work on improving disciplinary discipline, finishing efficiency, and defensive organization to halt the negative run and start climbing the table.