Elche CF Intensifies Preparations Ahead of Bilbao Challenge
Elche CF began its weekend program with a clear plan: to face Athletic Bilbao the following day. The La Liga Santander fixture at San Mamés is set for 7:00 p.m. local time, marking the second-to-last round of Spain’s top flight. The Franjiverdes completed a closed-door workout at the Martínez Valero stadium on Saturday morning, a session designed to sharpen tactics and fitness without the distraction of spectators. After meals at their base, the squad boarded a bus to Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández airport, finally taking a charter flight to the Basque capital. The team will set up camp in Bilbao for the duration of the trip, staying at a hotel in the city center.
Josan’s presence near the passenger conveyance captured a moment of routine flight preparation, illustrating the day-to-day rhythm of a team navigating the final stretch of a demanding season. The accompanying image credit reflects the club’s ongoing media coverage as the squad moves through travel arrangements and checks in for transport.
The head coach, Sebastián Beccacece, faced a setback with several injuries that constrained selection. In recent weeks, the team had slipped in the league standings after tough results against Getafe and Sevilla, while pressing to recover positive momentum. Four players remained sidelined, including Carmona and Mascarell, with Palacios and Diego González carrying muscle concerns that stretched over several weeks. The absence of these key pieces forced Beccacece to adjust plans and evaluate options for a fixture that demands discipline and intensity.
Carmona, Mascarell, Diego and Palacios remain unavailable
VL Deltel
The Argentine coach announced a 23-man squad, with 22 members drawn from the first team and the inclusion of domestic defender Javi Pamies, who had been training with the group in the days leading up to the match. Pamies, while yet to debut, was gaining familiarity with the first-team environment as the squad prepared for a crucial late-season challenge.
Beccacece’s selections highlighted the following roster:
Goalkeepers: Edgar Badia and Axel Werner
Defenders: Pol Lirola, Pedro Bigas, Lisandro Magallán, Carlos Clerc, Gonzalo Verdú, Enzo Roco, Javi Pamies, Lautaro Blanco, John Chetauya
Midfielders: Gerard Gumbau, Fidel Chaves, Raúl Guti, Pape Cheikh, Álex Collado, Josan Fernández, Tete Morente, Nico Fernández Mercau
Forwards: Lucas Boyé, Pere Milla, Randy Nteka, Ezequiel Ponce
— Elche Football Club —
The team entered the Bilbao trip with a purpose: to sustain a positive mood and continue the form that had emerged in the closing weeks of the season. Even after being officially relegated to the Segunda División, Elche had shown resilience by recording a 1-0 victory over Atlético de Madrid and adding draws with Getafe and Sevilla. That sequence had stretched to four consecutive matches without a loss, illustrating a level of consistency and collective understanding the coaching staff hoped to carry forward into the next campaign.
In the second tier, the immediate objective remained clear: return to the First Division. The squad was increasingly aligned with Beccacece’s tactical philosophy, both on the training ground and in game plans, suggesting a broader plan that would unfold in the months ahead as the club mapped its approach for the following season, on and off the field. The travel and preparation routines underscore a broader commitment to building a competitive identity even as the season winds down, with a focus on development, player conditioning, and strategic continuity that could translate into early-season momentum in the top flight.