Elche host Barcelona at Martinez Valero in LaLiga's second round

LaLiga's second round already has a matchup that stands out: Elche host Barcelona this Sunday, August 23, at the Estadio Martinez Valero, with kickoff set for 4:30 p.m. (Argentina and Uruguay), 3:30 p.m. (Chile) and 2:30 p.m. (Colombia, Peru and Ecuador). For viewers in South America, the match will air through Disney+'s Premium Plan.

This is no ordinary fixture for either side. Hansi Flick has no plans to ease off after a year in which Barcelona claimed the LaLiga title, and he's now chasing a third straight championship. The Catalan club has been busy in the transfer market with signings that have raised expectations, and this trip to Elche offers an early chance to put on the field what's been built on paper.

On the other side will be an Elche side going through a very different process. After narrowly avoiding relegation late last season, the white and green outfit opted for a fresh start by bringing in Argentine coach Martin Anselmi. The idea is simple: leave the scares behind and build a calmer campaign, without having to fight for every point against the threat of the Second Division.

Names to watch

For Elche, the defensive backbone runs through Victor Chust and David Affengruber, two players Anselmi is counting on to shore things up at the back. Up front, the attacking reference point will be Facundo Buonanotte, tasked with making the difference whenever the team needs to push forward.

At Barcelona, there's plenty of curiosity around the official debuts of new arrivals Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi, who come in with high expectations following their time in the Premier League and the Bundesliga. Meanwhile, the usual suspects remain: Raphinha and Lamine Yamal are the first names any opponent checks on the lineup sheet.

Current form

Elche have already played their opening match, a 1-1 draw against Deportivo La Coruna, an even start that offers a gauge of where the team stands ahead of hosting a title contender. Barcelona, meanwhile, are still fresh off preseason, having closed it out with a 2-1 win over Al-Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy, their last friendly before the games that truly matter begin.

The most recent meeting between the two sides dates back to January 31, 2026, also at the Martinez Valero, in matchday 22 of last season. On that occasion Barcelona won 3-1 with goals from Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres and Marcus Rashford, while Alvaro Rodriguez pulled one back for the hosts. Recent history clearly favors the Catalan side, though Elche arrive with a different project and plenty of motivation to write a new chapter on home turf.