Elche’s coach, Sebastián Beccacece, returned from the Christmas break facing a forward problem and midfield doubts. Two players are considered fixtures (Febas and Tete Morente), but the other two starting roles remain unsettled. The Rosario-born tactician has a clear first eleven, yet he could only repeat the lineup from one match to the next three times in the first round. Injuries and suspensions weighed heavily, and some units underperformed. As the team looked for consistency, decision-making in terms of personnel mattered just as much as on-field form.
Febas and Óscar Plano are Elche’s best signings
VL Deltell
Beccacece’s first repeated lineup for the season occurred on matchday 16 in mid-November. The previous match, a 2-0 home victory against Real Zaragoza, stood out as one of Elche’s most complete performances and served as the trigger for the first lineup replay at Martínez Valero.
first recurring
This lineup was used on the 11th matchday, lead by Miguel San Román with the sticks. The defense was composed of Josan Ferrández, Mario Gaspar, Diego González and Carlos Clerc. In the middle persisted Nico, Febas, Guti and Tete Morente, while Mourad and Óscar Plano led the attack. The goals against Maños came from the second striker and the Andalusian winger.
The next matchday, Elche hosted Espanyol on 18 November and secured a 2-0 win against Franjiverdes.
11 men from Elche CF INFORMATION
twice in a row
The second and third repetitions of the starting eleven followed on consecutive matchdays, 18 and 19. The same group remained largely intact, with only Bigas replacing Diego González and Nico Castro coming in for Raúl Guti. The keeper and captain stayed the same. On matchday 17, Elche beat Amorebieta 2-0 with goals from Morente and Mario Gaspar. In the next game, Óscar Plano and another Andalusian winger scored as the team won 2-0 at home against Alcorcón.
The repeat lineup yielded results this time, but not on the next occasion when Elche faced Cartagena. Verdú’s men surged in the second half, and Óscar Plano added another goal for the Franjiverde club in what was the best first half of Beccacece’s tenure. After the reboot, everything changed.
Elche party goes to Cartagena
JA Galvan
target change
The Franjiverde coach faced a tough call when Edgar Badia started the first seven fixtures. The youngster had the backing of the stands, but his form dipped compared with the previous season. Beccacece handed the reins to Miguel San Román after a 4-0 win at Burgos. San Román made his Martínez Valero debut in a 0–0 draw with Levante and retained his position thereafter.
Other lines
In defense, four players stood out for their reliability: Josan, operating on the right, started 15 games and logged 1,292 minutes across 17 appearances; right center-back Mario Gaspar started 17 times and played 1,476 minutes, with two suspensions noted; left wing-back Pedro Bigas started 19 times and played 1,593 minutes; and Carlos Clerc, a left-back, became Beccacece’s most used player with 20 starts and 1,785 minutes across as many matches. The least-used defenders included Diego González with 355 minutes, while players such as Salinas, Lautaro, Carreira and Álex Martín had under 300 minutes.
According to artificial intelligence, Elche returns to work with one goal: 42 points
VL Deltell
Two central players stand out in the midfield: Aleix Febas and Tete Morente. Nico Fernández Mercau is a strong companion, capable of joining the core group effectively. Febas started 19 times, totaling 1,734 minutes in 21 appearances. Morente matched those numbers despite limited minutes overall, with 19 starts in 20 matches and 1,605 minutes. Nico Castro is pushing for a fourth midfield spot with 953 minutes across 17 appearances and 12 starts. Fidel shows a similar footprint, and Raúl Guti featured in four of the first eleven matches, totaling 990 minutes.
Front part is big problem
The summer departures of Ezequiel Ponce, Pere Milla and Lucas Boyé left a sharp void in attack. Sergio León and Borja Garcés were brought in to share responsibilities with Óscar Plano and Mourad. Both León and Garcés suffered serious injuries and played sparingly. The opening 486 minutes featured only five starts for León; a later stretch accounted for 350 minutes across three matches. Óscar Plano, despite injuries, became Beccacece’s most utilized player, appearing in all 21 fixtures, starting 13 times and totaling 1,099 minutes. Mourad followed with 11 starts across 17 appearances and 972 minutes.