The fight for promotion to La Liga is hotting up in the Segunda, with a plethora of teams looking to secure one of those top-six spots. One of the promotion hopefuls are Elche, who visit Sporting Gijon on Tuesday evening.
The visitors are looking for a return to the Spanish top-flight, where they last featured in season 2014/15. Pacheta’s team find themselves just one point and place outside the play-off spots in the Spanish second tier heading to Gijon.
A recent inconsistent run of form in the Segunda has dented their chances of returning to the league’s top six, though.
PARTIDO | Jornada 23 #LaLigaSmartBank🆚 @RealSporting 📅 Martes 14 enero⏰ 19.00📍 El Molinón - Enrique Castro 'Quini'#SportingElche #MuchoElche pic.twitter.com/iKNre812Zj— Elche Club de Fútbol (@elchecfoficial) January 12, 2020
PARTIDO | Jornada 23 #LaLigaSmartBank🆚 @RealSporting 📅 Martes 14 enero⏰ 19.00📍 El Molinón - Enrique Castro 'Quini'#SportingElche #MuchoElche pic.twitter.com/iKNre812Zj
A 1-1 home draw with Huesca last time out means that Los Franjiverdes have won just twice in seven league outings. Their recent league outings have been low-scoring, tight affairs, with under 2.5 goals scored in four of their last five league outings.
The visitors have produced a decent run of results away from home of late, as they are undefeated in their last four matches on their travels in the Segunda, having recorded two wins and two draws.
Like Elche, Sporting Gijon have featured in the Spanish top-flight in the recent past, with their last stint in La Liga coming in the 2016/17 campaign. They may have fancied their chances of promotion this season too, but they are eight points off the play-off spots. More concerning is the fact that the home side is just three points above the relegation zone.
Sporting’s form has been highly inconsistent of late. Miroslav Djukic’s team have lost their last two league matches against Extremadura and last time out Real Zaragoza.
A big recent worry for Gijon is their home form, as they have suffered three home defeats in their last four outings in the Segunda.
Forebet predicts that Gijon’s recent mix form will continue and that this clash will finish in a low-scoring draw.