Starting from here, at half past ten in the morning, the Elche CF squad will meet in the Martinez Valero stadium for a new friendly match as part of the current preparation period ahead of the resumption of official competition following the Qatar World Cup. The match will be played behind closed doors, with no entry for fans.
Among the three pre-season fixtures Elche has staged so far, only one featured visible attendance. That was last Thursday, December 8, during the Festa d’Elx celebrations, held after the Leeds United appearance in the Premier League fixture.
In the first encounter, played on Friday, December 2, at their Oliva Nova Golf Hotel facilities near Valencia, Elche emerged victorious in a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from Argentina’s Ezequiel Ponce in the second half. That session was also held behind closed doors.
Clear ideas for Elche from day one
JA Galvanized
Later, the team faced Leeds United, with the English side gaining the win (1-2). Josén gave Frangiverdes the lead in the first half, but in the second half Gelhart and Klich altered the score. Elche supporters had the chance to watch the new squad live in this match, with Pablo Machine and more than 12,000 spectators, including over a thousand followers from the English side, filling the Martinez Valero stands.
Festa d’Elx heads to Leeds
VL Deltel
Last Saturday, again at the Elche Coliseum, the green-Franjiverdes met Genk, the Belgian league leader, in a closed-doors friendly. The final score was 2-3, with Ponce moving Elche forward and the Belgian side drawing level before the halftime break. In the second half, Father Milla scored to make it 2-1, yet the Belgians clinched the win with a late penalty.
Elche lost to Genk in the last friendly match (2-3)
INFORMATION
As the calendar turns, the next fourth friendly for Elche is scheduled for this Wednesday against Intercity from the Primera division and the Spanish national league, with no spectators allowed. This new practice in such matches reflects a preference from coaches to maintain training momentum and avoid revealing tactical details to opponents. Therefore, access is restricted to the official channels of both clubs, and the information released will come only from both teams. This setup limits deeper analysis of lineups, systems, and in-game adjustments employed by Pablo Machín.