There seems to be little relief for Elche’s qualifying dilemma this season. The Franjiverde club spent months believing reversal was nearly impossible. A clear sign of this mindset came when the locker room agreed at the start of the second round to treat it as its own league, akin to the classic Clausura formats seen in Argentina or Mexico.
Elche launches its own Clausura, hoping for a dramatic comeback
david marin
The plan had two aims. First, to bridge the sizable gap in points needed to reach safety, a gap that looked almost insurmountable at the time. Second, to rekindle a fighting spirit, offering a chance to restore pride after a disastrous season and to set the stage for a more competitive image should results improve. The club would fall with dignity if it could not climb back up.
Elche’s coach at the time, Pablo Machín, along with a few senior players, openly believed this Clausura could serve as a spark—preventing late-season disengagement and boosting the group’s confidence if strong results followed. The distance to safety remained substantial, yet the initiative kept the club hopeful.
7 points in the second round
Yet, the outcomes of the second round painted a sobering picture for the Franjiverde. Only two wins materialized, and seven points were accumulated in this phase. Before the weekend’s slate, no other side had collected so few.
Alongside Elche, Valencia and Espanyol also stood on seven points in the second-round matches. Interestingly, the three teams currently occupying relegation positions were still fighting for a place in the top flight’s second tier. Rayo Vallecano and Almería led with eight points, while Mallorca and Valladolid had nine points each in their records.
Sporting de Gijón’s historic low is a target for Elche to surpass. With 13 points in the 97/98 season, Sporting’s mark remains a cautionary tale that Elche hopes to avoid matching this season. Elche’s own worst finish, dating back to 88/89 with 15 points, would stand as another negative benchmark to be surpassed.
Even as it remains toward the bottom in this imagined Clausura, the progress compared with the start of the season is notable. Up to the current streak, Elche had not scored in three consecutive days, suffering defeats against Real Sociedad and Machín’s bench, plus losses to Barcelona and Osasuna. Sebastian Beccacece led this effort from the sidelines, guiding the operation.
Beccacece: “For Elche CF, we are focusing on the fundamentals of next season”
VL Deltel
Inside Girona, the squad, under the Argentinian coach, still has a chance to avoid a total tumble if the second-round performances hold steady. Progress in this Clausura could help shape the club’s image for the future while maintaining a credible presence in the present season.