Elche hold a decisive advantage in baseline quality as an established La Liga team, sitting 14th in Spain's top tier and arriving off a comprehensive 3-0 road win against Rayo Vallecano.
Elche hold a decisive advantage in baseline quality as an established La Liga team, sitting 14th in Spain's top tier and arriving off a comprehensive 3-0 road win against Rayo Vallecano. Although Pinatar advanced with emphatic 8-0 and 3-0 victories over Atlético Melilla, the gap between preliminary cup opposition and a top-flight side is substantial. Cup ties occasionally see underdogs defend deep in regular time, but Elche's defensive solidity, shown by clean sheets against both Rayo Vallecano and Villarreal, makes an away result the most probable outcome over 90 minutes.