Elche vs Atletico Madrid Prediction (22.04.2026)

Elche is in the relegation zone, just one point from safety. After a long time without a win, they at least managed to win their last two home games against Valencia and Mallorca. They will rely on their home advantage again, as they have not been able to secure a victory away, and so far in 16 home games, they have only suffered two losses.

Days after qualifying for the Champions League semifinals, Atletico Madrid suffered a huge disappointment. On Saturday, they lost in a penalty shootout in the Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad, which was a massive letdown for the players, the coach, the fans, and the club. Winning the cup would have been a salvation for the season, but now they must seek a possible salvation in the Champions League, where it will be much more difficult. So the cup was indeed a golden opportunity for success this campaign, which they failed to seize. Instead, they have put La Liga on the back burner, where they have three consecutive losses and firmly sit in fourth place. Ademola Lookman and Sörloth are injured after the final, which is also a blow to Simeone's squad.

Elche urgently needs points in an attempt to avoid relegation, and they have earned almost all of their points at home, which they will rely on again against the crushed Atletico. The pain and sorrow from the lost final were clearly visible among the " mattresses," and it is unlikely that it has passed so quickly. Yes, a win would generally be a good response, but at this moment, I do not expect them to achieve it, and Atletico has not been up to par in their away games so far.

This text is an AI-assisted translation in English. Link to the original source in Bulgarian ➔