On matchday 33, Elche have finally been put out of their misery. After falling to defeat against Almeria on Tuesday evening, their relegation from La Liga have now been confirmed.
Goals from Leo Baptistao and Adrian Embarba ensured a 2-1 victory for Almeria, with Ezequiel Ponce scoring for Elche, which boosted their own hopes of avoiding relegation from La Liga. For Elche, the result left them 17 points behind Valencia in 17th place, with a maximum of 15 points to play for.
In a season in which they have had more managers than league wins, Elche have massively struggled to be competitive in La Liga. It took them 20 matchdays to get their first victory, and they have since achieved only two more between February and now.
A rebuild will be required in the summer, with several of the first team players at the club proving that they weren’t good enough. Given how competitive LaLiga2 is, it will not be a given that Elche can bounce straight back up next season.