Guadalajara will face Elche in the Copa del Rey
Elche CF resumed training on Saturday after a rest day, holding a closed-door session at the Díez Iborra field within the Juan Ángel Romero sports city. The squad prepared for the upcoming King’s Cup round of 32 clash, which is scheduled for Tuesday, December 20, at seven in the evening, hosted at the Pedro Escartín stadium in Guadalajara.
In their first official competition appearance, Pablo Machín will have to cope with several absences. One setback involves junior player John Chetauya, who suffered a shin fracture during the match and will be sidelined for at least two months. The injury comes amid Elche’s ongoing preparations for the fixture in Guadalajara, an early test for the team this season.
John won’t be back for two months
During this preparation phase, Chilean forward Enzo Roco could not participate in any friendly matches due to an Achilles tendon issue and will not be available for the Guadalajara clash. Pol Lirola has been dealing with a muscle problem and has not trained with the squad all week, making it unlikely he will be risked for the King’s Cup game.
Availability ahead of the trip
On the injury front, Fidel Chaves and Domingos Quina are fit and ready after playing in the most recent friendly against Torrellano and completing the full match time. Diego Gonzalez and Tete Morente logged 70 minutes in the recent regional test and have trained normally throughout the week, suggesting no issues for the journey to Alcarria.
Goals and good vibes for Elche
Elche CF will contest the King’s Cup on Tuesday, December 20, and will return to league action on Thursday, December 29. Their date with La Liga Santander resumes at nine-thirty at the Estadio Metropolitano, where Atlético Madrid will host the visitors. The Franjiverde coaching staff plans another closed-door session on Sunday morning at the Estadio Martínez Valero, starting around 10:30 a.m. After that, a further study session is slated for Monday, with the squad traveling to Guadalajara in the afternoon to focus on the shootout on Wednesday.
All updates reflect the team’s current injury situation, training cadence, and logistical plans as they prepare for a demanding week that tests depth and resilience in this season’s King’s Cup campaign. (citation: club press release, Elche CF communications)