Relegation-threatened Cadiz will hit the road to square up against third-placed Girona, who have been a bit inconsistent recently.
Girona will look to return to winning ways when they host Cadiz in La Liga on Saturday. Both teams suffered a defeat in their last outing and will be eager to get back on track with a handful of games remaining in the season.
The home team have surprised everyone this term, and they have exceeded expectations in some fashion. Girona were in the title race until the start of February. The defeat against league leaders Real Madrid derailed them, and they have lost five out of their last eight matches in the league.
But, all is not lost yet as they are still third in the league with 65 points out of their 31 matches and can easily finish inside the top four if they manage to end the season on a high. They are heading into this one on the back of a defeat at the hands of Atletico Madrid and will be eager to return to winning ways.
Meanwhile, Cadiz are fighting for survival in La Liga. They are 18th in the league with 25 points out of their 31 matches. They have only won four matches this season. But with two of those wins coming in their last five outings, they will be confident of putting together a good string of results to help them survive in La Liga.
After claiming all three points against Granada, the visitors ended up on the wrong side of the result against Barcelona despite putting in a great shift. They will be looking for an improved performance against Girona as they aim for all three points. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Girona
The home team will be without the services of Joel Roca, Viktor Tsyhankov, and Ricard Artero, Meanwhile, Ivan Martin is back available after serving a suspension in their last outing.
Girona are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation, where Paulo Gazzaniga will be in goal. Eric Garcia and Miguel Gutierrez will feature as the full-backs, while David Lopez will pair up with Daley Blind in the heart of the defence.
Martin will return to the midfield and feature alongside Aleix Garcia and Yangel Herrera. The trio will look to control the tempo of this game and ensure they have the majority of the ball. In attack, Portu and Savio will provide the width, while in form Artem Dovbyk will be leading the line for them.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Gazzaniga; Eric Garcia, David Lopez, Blind, Gutierrez; Martin, Herrera, Aleix Garcia; Portu, Dovbyk, Savio
Cadiz
The visitors will be without the services of Jose Mari, Rominigue Kouame, Luis Hernandez, and Fede San Emeterio. Meanwhile, left-back Javi Hernandez is suspended for this fixture, having picked up a milestone yellow last time out.
Cadiz will line up in a 4-4-2, where Jeremias Ledesma will be in goal. The back four will be made up of Isaac Carcelen, Lucas Pires, Aiham Ousou, and Victor Chust. Carcelen and Pires will be the full-backs, while Ousou and Chust will be the centre-back pairing.
Ruben Sobrino and Robert Navarro will provide the width as the duo will start out wide on the flanks. Meanwhile, Ruben Alcaraz should pair up with Alex Fernandez in a more central role. They will look to shield the back line and ensure Girona do not end up dominating the proceedings. Maxi Gomez should come into the XI for this fixture. He will pair up with Juanmi up top.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Ledesma; Carcelen, Ousou, Chust, Pires; Sobrino, A Fernandez, Alcaraz, Navarro; Gomez, Juanmi
Key Stats
- In the last ten meetings between Cadiz and Girona, both teams have recorded four wins each.
- Girona have won one out of three league games against Cadiz.
- Cadiz managed to come out with a point in their only away game against Girona in the top flight.
- In all competitions, the hosts have only lost one out of their last six matches against Cadiz.
- After a 15-match unbeaten run in the league, Girona have now lost five out of their last eight league game.
Player to Watch
Artem Dovbyk
Dovbyk has had an exceptional debut season at Girona. He has featured in 29 league games for them and has contributed towards 22 goals. The 26-year-old Ukrainian international has found the back of the net on 17 occasions in La Liga, and his team will hope he once again brings him A game to the table as they look to end the season on a high.
Prediction
Girona 2-2 Cadiz
After a dominating start to the season, Girona have suffered a lot in their last eight league outings. They are heading into this fixture on the back of a defeat and despite the fact that two teams are on the opposite ends of the table, this fixture could still be a close one. Cadiz are fighting for survival and they are expected to give it all here. As a result, The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-2 draw.
