Borja Garcés smiles again
VL Deltell
Elche CF has faced a harsh spell this season, with the squad struggling to keep pace in a window of mounting bad news and injuries that have hurt the attack. The team entered the current campaign with optimism, only to watch the scoring firepower waver as the weeks rolled by.
The departure of Ezequiel Ponce and Pere Milla from the Spaniards, followed by Lucas Boyé’s last‑minute move to Granada, left Beccacece searching for reliable goals. The club pushed to fill the gaps with Sergio León and Borja Garcés, but injuries blunted their impact, and the pair could only contribute in a single match against Andorra two days prior.
Young loan forward from Atlético Madrid managed to feature in his first match against Valladolid, only to be forced off after half an hour with a calf tear, sidelining him for a month. He then returned against Andorra and scored the decisive goal, delivering a brief spark to the attack. (Attribution: Elche club reports and match summaries).
Beccacece finally managed to assemble his two most important forwards on the roster, a wish that had lingered for nearly a week.
Last Sunday, in the derby against Eldense, Sergio León was sidelined early. They managed to play 26 minutes at New Pepico Amat before the Córdoba attacker pulled up on a wing play, clutching the back of his left thigh. The medical staff quickly signaled for a substitution. He faces additional exams to determine the full extent of the injury. Current indications point toward a fibrillar tear in the left hamstring, which could sideline him for three weeks to a month if confirmed. That would be a major blow for a squad already stretched thin. (Attribution: match reports and medical updates).
Garces stepped in as the substitute against Eldense and found the back of the net again, though a late offside flag denied him another goal. He had another dangerous opportunity late in the game, blocked by Barça goalkeeper Zubiaurre. The 24‑year‑old Melilla native is ambitious and pugnacious in the final third, working with the limited support available. (Attribution: game observations and player profiles).
With León out, Garcés inherits the role of primary attacking reference for the team, joined by Mourad as the remaining healthy striker. Oscar Plano has also been used in a secondary striker role, though he is not a classic number nine. Beccacece will therefore lean on Garcés and the other forward options, hoping the squad can stay healthy enough to sustain a productive attack. (Attribution: tactical assessments and match reports).
In recent fixtures, the forward line has encountered a rough start to the league campaign, with Elche ranking among the lowest scorers in LaLiga Hypermotion. They have tallied nine goals through the first eleven rounds, trailing only early-season headlines from eastern rivals like Huesca, who collected seven points. This scoring drought has prompted the club’s sports commission to monitor the transfer market closely ahead of the January window, seeking a reliable goal scorer to bolster the attack. In the meantime, Elche must endure the ongoing goal-scoring curse while the squad rebuilds depth. (Attribution: season statistics and club statements).
All eyes now turn to how the squad adapts with the current injuries and suspensions, how Garcés and the other forwards respond to the increased responsibility, and whether January’s window can deliver a true goal threat to change the trajectory for Elche. (Attribution: club press roundups and season previews).