Elche’s battle to end the winless streak into 2024
Elche CF entered 2024 with a lingering challenge that has shadowed the club for more than a decade: their difficulty winning the first official match of the year. Reports from EFE indicate that since January 2013 the team has failed to secure a victory in its opening game of the calendar year, a drought that has stretched across multiple competitions and seasons. The Franjiverde squad navigated the calendar through Second, First, Second B, and the Copa del Rey without delivering a victorious start to the year, leaving fans hoping for a breakthrough as the new year began.
From the winter of 2013 onward, Elche faced a string of results that kept the first match of each year from becoming a banner moment. The early 2010s saw the streak extend into 2014 when a loss at Camp Nou to Barcelona marked the beginning of a tricky run. The following year produced a 2 2 draw with Villarreal at the Martínez Valero, a result that only slightly softened the frustration of the annual opener. The pattern continued through 2016 and 2017, with a 1 1 draw against Mallorca and a 3 2 defeat to Cadiz coloring the start of those seasons.
Entering 2018 and 2019, the club found itself facing a downturn in the Second Division B and then in the Primera RFEF stages. A 0 1 defeat to Sabadell and a 2 1 loss in Tenerife highlighted the struggle to begin the year on a positive note, despite efforts in the second tier and the national cup. The sequence carried into 2020 with a 1 1 draw against Huesca as the team fought to maintain momentum on the verge of promotion to the top flight, followed by a 1 0 loss to Athletic Bilbao in San Mamés the next year and a 0 0 draw with Granada in 2022, illustrating the uphill battle to start the year with a win.
The season that began in 2023 did little to alter the narrative. Elche could not avoid a difficult year, ending in a disappointing fashion after a Copa del Rey exit at the hands of Ceuta with a 1 0 scoreline, a result that underscored the broader struggles of the side. With the calendar flipping to 2024, the club faced a familiar foe yet again as they prepared to begin the year with a match against Girona, a club that had emerged as a standout in the league in the late stages of the Copa del Rey. The upcoming clash, scheduled for a Saturday evening at the Martínez Valero, promised to be a test of whether the team could finally break the curse and seize momentum early in the year.
The coach, a figure named Beccacece, approached the challenge with the aim of shaking off the negative press surrounding the first match of the year. A positive result would not only lift spirits within the squad but also set a constructive tone for the remainder of the campaign. The match against Girona, a team that had risen to co-lead the Primera Division during the 32nd round of the Copa del Rey, carried extra significance. A win would signal a turning point after years of stalled starts and would be celebrated as a turning of the calendar toward a more hopeful season.
In addition to the on field objectives, practical considerations weighed on supporters who hold season tickets. The club announced pricing for the Cup game, with seat holders facing a modest charge that reflected the importance of the event without placing an undue burden on fans who have stood by the team through thick and thin. The atmosphere around the Martínez Valero was set for a potential turning point, a moment when a single match could alter the course of the year and rekindle belief among the travelling supporters and the locals alike.
Despite the weight of history and the pressure of expectations, the Elche leadership remained focused on building a resilient squad. The team prepared to carry the narrative beyond the curse by employing disciplined tactics, careful opposition analysis, and a renewed commitment to the club’s identity. The aim was clear: to translate the hard work of training into a decisive result that would break the cycle and restore confidence across the city and the wider fan base, a sign that the year could finally begin with a victory rather than a draw or a loss. The stakes were high, but the ambition to convert potential into results kept the locker room focused and the supporters hopeful for a breakthrough that would be remembered for years to come.
As the league and cup competitions progressed, the team faced ongoing evaluations, with pundits and fans watching every development closely. The broader objective remained straightforward: to convert early-year promise into sustained performance, to start the year with wins rather than the familiar late January recurrences, and to reaffirm Elche as a club capable of competing at a high level across Spain’s top football stages. The story of 2024 would be written in the outcomes of these early clashes, and the appetite for success remained strong among all who care about the club.