Elche CF prepares for a new season with Beccacece at the helm
Elche CF’s manager, Sebastián Beccacece, will lead a squad of twenty-one players into the first friendly of the 2023-2024 campaign against Rotherham United at La Finca, kick-off at 10:00. The lineup will feature familiar names alongside several absences compared with the last starting eleven used in the Elche-Cádiz fixture on LaLiga’s 38th round. The camp is watching closely to see who earns a spot in the opening XI as preseason unfolds.
Enzo Roco, Lisandro Magallán, Randy Nteka and Gerard Gumbau are no longer with the team. They formed part of the previous matchday eleven in the Elche- Cádiz encounter. Added to the departures is Tete Morente, who, on April 1, was the only player to feature under an Argentine coach in Beccacece’s twelve league games last season. Morente is sidelined due to muscle fatigue, particularly in the soleus, so Beccacece will not rush his return.
Tete Morente delivers first scare of prep season
Caesar Hernandez
concentrates
At the Algorfa training camp, twenty-two players are listed on the roster. Club sources indicate that, for the first friendly before the season, most of them will be available, with Morente as the notable exception.
From last season’s squad, Fidel Chaves, Edgar Badia, Josan Ferrández, Pere Milla, Raúl Guti, Lucas Boyé, Pedro Bigas, Diego González, Carlos Clerc, John C., Lautaro Blanco, Nico Fernández-Mercau and Ezequiel Ponce remain in contention.
local players
Local players who contributed last season, goalkeeper Jesús López, defender Javi Pamies and midfielder Rodri Mendoza, are ready. They join José Salinas and the Mourad group during these preseason days. They spent last year on loan.
Three new signings have joined Beccacece’s project: Benidorm goalkeeper Miguel San Román, defender Álex Martín and midfielder Aleix Febas.
top eleven
Who will form the first eleven of the new season with these pieces? The starting lineup remains a topic of speculation. Preseason matches are used for evaluation, yet victories in these games boost the team’s confidence. Beccacece’s approach has shown a clear preference for building a cohesive unit over time, refining a style that can grow with experience.
In this context, Beccacece’s likely key players include Fidel Chaves, Clerc and John, along with Edgar Badia in goal. While the Argentine coach has had to manage a few absences, his preference leans toward a Catalan core to begin with. Miguel San Román’s arrival adds competition on the defensive flank, and early substitutions could impact the keeper’s security as the season opens.
High expectations, demanding tests for Elche CF
VL Deltel
System
Beccacece has typically deployed two defensive shapes. A three-man backline with two wide players who often act as inverted wingers, and a classic four-man defense. Both formations can be shifted during a match as needed. Pedro Bigas could anchor the back line, flanked by Clerc on the left and Álex Martín on the right. Josan would line up in midfield with Lautaro Blanco on the opposite flank, forming the other grouping.
Ahead of the Argentine coach’s leadership, Fidel Chaves will captain the attack, with Raúl Guti or John supporting and Aleix Febas possibly in the mix. Pere Milla and Lucas Boyé are likely to lead the line, providing a goal threat and link play. There are other players who could still feature in the starting eleven, such as Nico Fernández-Mercau, Ezequiel Ponce, or Diego González, though these players have seen limited action under Beccacece so far. They will be available off the bench, along with the domestic squad and loaned players. Preseason formations are fluid, offering Beccacece a chance to test all options, including a younger player who could be part of the season’s plans.
back home
Elche CF will host the friendly against Rotherham United FC, a club founded in 1888 that currently competes in the EFL Championship. The match will be played behind closed doors. After the game, the squad will rest and prepare to return to routine next week at the Martínez Valero and Díez Iborra facilities as the second preseason camp continues at the same venue the following week.