Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid will look to make it three wins in a row in the league when they host 14th-placed Cadiz.
Third-placed Atletico Madrid are all set to host Cadiz, who are fighting for survival in the Spanish top flight. The visitors are currently 14th in the league and have a four-point lead over 18th-placed Espanyol.
They look to extend their lead and avoid being dragged into the relegation battle. Meanwhile, the home team have an eight-point lead over the fourth-placed team, they are almost guaranteed to feature in the Champions League next season.
Diego Simeone’s men were involved in a thrilling encounter last time around when they visited Real Valladolid. They managed to build a three-goal lead in no time. While the hosts did try to stage a comeback Atletico somehow managed to come out on top with a 5-2 scoreline.
Currently sitting in third place in the table, Atletico are just two points behind local rivals Real Madrid. And a win in their upcoming match could secure them Champions League qualification. They have been in great form in the league winning four out of their last five fixtures.
Atletico Madrid have been in impressive form at home, winning their last six La Liga matches and suffering only one defeat in their last 15 games at the Civitas Metropolitano. On the other hand, Cadiz faced a tense battle against Valencia, where they endured relentless pressure. However, they did eventually come out on top ending their three-match winless run.
As they visit the Civitas Metropolitano, the visitors will draw inspiration from their recent performances on the road, having remained unbeaten in their last four away games. Cadiz’s recent away form has been commendable, with one victory and three draws since March. Their crucial win against Valencia has given them confidence and put them in a relatively comfortable position above the relegation zone.
In the reverse fixture between the two teams, Cadiz managed to script a memorable 3-2 win. However, Atletico have had the upper hand against the visitors overall, remaining undefeated at home. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at this fixture and tries to predict the tactics they could use.
Team News & Tactics
Atletico Madrid
Diego Simeone will be without the services of Marcos Llorente, Reinildo, Stefan Savic and Jan Oblak for this home fixture.
❤️🤍 120 years later, Atleti family keeps enjoying in El Retiro Park! 💙🤍
👨👩👧👦 Atléticos of all ages are enjoying our historical and informative stand located there, where on this day we played the first game in our history 😃#120AñosDeAtleti pic.twitter.com/AU93SwtNaN
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish) May 2, 2023
Simeone should go ahead with the 3-5-2 formation. In the unavailability of Oblak, Ivo Grbic will start in goal. The back three will be made up of Mario Hermoso, Axel Witsel and Jose Maria Gimenez. Nahuel Molina and Yannick Carrasco will start out wide as the wing-backs. They will look to help out the defence as well as provide the width to their attacks.
Rodrigo De Paul, Koke and Thomas Lemar will start in the centre of the park. They will look to dictate the pace of the game and control the majority of the ball possession. The in-form Antoine Griezmann will pair up with Alvaro Morata in attack as the duo will look to score goals and seal another win for their team.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Grbic; Witsel, Gimenez, Hermoso; Molina, De Paul, Koke, Lemar, Carrasco; Morata, Griezmann
Cadiz
The visitors will be without the services of Jose Zaldua, Jon Ander Garrido, Juan Cala, Victor Chust, Roger Marti and Brian Ocampo who are all out injured.
✊⚽️ The incomparable moment of the goal#ThisIsCádiz pic.twitter.com/QOkalAYMCx
— Cádiz CF 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@Cadiz_CFEN) May 2, 2023
Meanwhile, Fede San Emeterio, Luis Hernandez and Sobrino will also be unavailable after being suspended for the accumulation of yellow cards. Sergio González is expected to go ahead with the 4-4-2 formation. Jeremias Ledesma will start in goal. Meanwhile, Raúl Parra and Alfonso Espino will be the full-backs for this fixture.
In the heart of the defence, Rafael Jimenez Jarque known as Fali will pair with Momo Mbaye in the absence of Luis Hernandez. Theo Bongonda and Iván Alejo will start out wide as the wingers. Meanwhile, Ruben Alcaraz and Gonzalo Escalante will start as the central midfielders. As far as the attack is concerned, Sergi Guardiola will pair up with Chris Ramos up top.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Ledesma; Parra, Mbaye, Fali, Espino; Alejo, Alcaraz, Escalante, Bongonda; Guardiola, Ramos
Key Stats
- In their 29 meetings, Atletico Madrid have won 18 times against Cadiz while the visitors have recorded only six wins.
- Cadiz’s 3-2 win in October was their first victory over Atletico since 1989, snapping a 14-game winless run against the hosts.
- The last five meetings between Atletico Madrid and Cadiz have produced over 2.5 goals.
- Atletico Madrid are undefeated at home against Cadiz, winning 13 out of 14 games in all competitions.
- Diego Simeone’s men have won eight of their last nine games in the league. The home team have the second-best defense in La Liga having conceded 25 goals in 32 matches.
Player to Watch
Antoine Griezmann
Antoine Griezmann’s impressive stats of 11 goals and 13 assists in 32 La Liga appearances make him one of the most important players for Atletico Madrid in their upcoming match against Cadiz.
With both his goalscoring and creative abilities on display this season, he has become a key figure in Atletico’s push for a top-four finish. Griezmann’s performance in the final third has been particularly impressive this season. The Frenchman’s combination of goals and assists make him a potent threat for Cadiz’s defence.
Prediction
Atletico Madrid 3-1 Cadiz
The upcoming match between Atletico Madrid and Cadiz promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams fighting for different objectives. Atletico will look to secure their place in the top four and maintain pressure on local rivals Real Madrid, while Cadiz will aim to pick up points to secure their place in La Liga next season.
With Atletico’s impressive home form and Cadiz’s recent away performances, the match could be a closely contested affair. But Atletico’s attacking prowess and superior defensive record should see them secure a victory. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 for the home team.
