Real Madrid walk into this matchup flying, and Elche look nowhere near ready for what’s coming. Elche have already been smashed 5-0 by Barcelona and beaten 3-2 by ten‑man Real Sociedad, and the document makes it clear they sit in 19th place with the league’s second‑worst defensive record. That’s a nightmare setup against a Madrid side that has scored 10 goals across three straight league wins, just beat Inter in a Champions League match with 15 shots on target, and features an attacking quartet of Mbappé, Vinicius, Bellingham, and Güler that’s producing at full throttle. Three of Madrid’s four league wins have already gone over 3.5 goals, and they’ve hammered Elche by 3-0, 4-0, and 4-1 in recent meetings. With Elche leaking goals and Madrid warming up for the derby, this sets up perfectly for another high‑scoring Real Madrid win.

Real Madrid didn’t look fully settled in their opener, but they still showed exactly why they’re so hard to fade at the Bernabéu. Even with a long injury list, Mourinho’s side created enough pressure to break Espanyol late, and the squad depth is already showing — Espi’s 90th‑minute winner was a perfect example. Now they get a Real Sociedad team that didn’t strengthen over the summer, looked flat in their loss to Betis, and historically struggle in this matchup. Madrid’s firepower is simply on another level: Mbappé hunting his first goal of the season, Bernardo Silva adding creativity, and a revamped supporting cast that can overwhelm teams in waves. Sociedad can make this competitive in stretches, especially if Oyarzabal starts, but they don’t have the punch to keep up for 90 minutes. With Madrid’s attack loaded and their margin for error tiny after Barcelona’s five‑goal opener, this sets up as a spot where Los Blancos win and the game opens up.