Weeks pass without a breakthrough, and the team endures a stretch that tests patience. It is nine days before a first win finally arrives, and although there are still many matches ahead, Elche’s margin begins to shrink. Pressure rises. In a season where the club has to prove its resilience, history remains on the table, yet the chances feel tighter by the day.
Since the win awards three points (beginning in the 1995/96 season), the experience of Franjiverde is not unique. Of the 15 First Division clubs that faced a similar eight-to-nine game start, only four managed to survive: Osasuna (2008/09), Zaragoza (2010/11), Almería (2013/14) and Getafe (2021/22). The latest example from the Azulones provides a glimmer of hope for Elche, though it is true that last season no club secured a victory by the ninth match and still avoided relegation.
Unjust and unfair
The situation becomes difficult for Levante, whose first win comes only on the 21st match day in a Metropolitan clash against Atlético. A solid fight was mounted, but permanence seemed unlikely. Getafe, guided by Quique Sánchez Flores, triggered the strongest reaction. The Azulones regrouped, ending the season without avoidable distress and earning salvation a few weeks earlier than expected.
Long before Getafe managed that breakout, Almería did so in 2013/14 with Francisco on the bench. The Andalusian club chose a different path from Bragarnik’s at Elche, remaining committed to the coach. From behind, the Rojiblancos delivered three wins in the last four matches and added another victory to seal their late surge.
Bragarnik: “I want a vote of confidence for me and Almirón; we will do the impossible to save Elche”
Osasuna and Zaragoza were the first clubs to secure safety after failing to win their first nine league games. Navarre saw a path to salvation in 2008/09 that reads almost like a story of humor and surprise. With Camacho directing from the bench, Osasuna needed maximum points in the final two days and faced Barcelona and Real Madrid as the main obstacles. He delivered six points, and the identity of the manager drew little attention beyond the results.
Zaragoza’s 2010/11 comeback was even more unusual. The Maño side endured a high-stakes finish with Javier Aguirre on the bench, aided by players like Gabi, Ander Herrera, Leo Franco, Diogo and Lafita, while Agapito Iglesias steered from the board. Initial efforts did not yield results, yet LaLiga and the broader football community watched as the final day showdown against Levante sparked one of the most talked-about comebacks, and accountability was a central issue for all involved.
Among the four positive cases, eleven failures contrasted with counterexamples. Elche now faces a similar crossroads. The Franjiverdes could join a group that includes Sporting (1997/98 and 2011/12), Real Sociedad (2006/07), Levante (2007/08 and 2021/22), Racing (2011/12), Córdoba (2014/15), Granada (2016/17), Malaga (2017/18), Leganés (2019/20) and Huesca (2020/21).
TEAMS WITH NO WARRANTY IN THE FIRST SECTION AFTER MATCH NINE WARRANT THREE POINTS
Sporting 97/98: relegation
Real Sociedad 06/07: relegation
Levante 08/07: relegation
Osasuna 08/09: persistence
Zaragoza 10/11: permanence
Sporting 11/12: relegation
Race 11/12: relegation
Almería 13/14: permanence
Córdoba 14/15: relegation
Granada 16/17: relegation
Malaga 17/18: relegation
Leganés 19/20: relegation
Huesca 20/21: relegation
Getafe 21/22: persistence
Levante 21/22: relegation
In such cases, results vary widely. The league’s history since 1996/97 remains marked by a tough arc for teams starting poorly, with the ninth matchday often serving as a critical turning point. A season can shift dramatically with a single win, a stretch of points, or a sudden tactical adjustment.
Huesca found its footing under Pacheta two years ago, and Elche briefly tapped into that same momentum in the final phase. Leganés faced a surprising test against the champions Madrid during the pandemic, highlighting the unpredictable nature of football’s late-season drama. The club now hopes to chart a steadier course as May approaches. Will it arrive with a favorable outcome?
Mirror for Clemente, Almirón
Jorge Almirón’s return to the Elche bench last week drew attention, especially given the streak that saw him leave the club two seasons earlier after a winless run of 16 days.
Such statistics rarely guarantee another chance from the same club. Yet in Spanish football, the Argentine coach can measure himself against a benchmark: Javier Clemente.
In 1988/89, Clemente was dismissed after a winless run of 19 games with Espanyol in the top division. In 1991/92, Espanyol rehired him and he hit bottom midway through the season, yet the club still avoided relegation that year.
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Bases of the sport show that managers can rebound from difficult starts and rewrite a season’s narrative. The question now is whether Almirón can replicate a turnaround similar to Clemente’s, guiding Elche toward a more secure position in the table.