Cadiz aims to secure their first La Liga victory since early September as they host Real Betis at Nuevo Mirandilla on Friday night.
The hosts find themselves in 18th place, three points away from safety. Real Betis, on the other hand, is in eighth, trailing the sixth spot by two points, eyeing a European spot.
Match Preview
Cadiz has won only twice this season, with their last win being a 3-1 triumph over Villarreal in September.
Since Mauricio Pellegrino took over as coach last month, the team has shown signs of improvement, achieving two consecutive draws against Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal, which are seen as positive outcomes.
With 17 points from 23 games, Cadiz is still in the relegation zone but is just three points behind 17th-placed Mallorca. There’s still a lot of the season left to play.
Scoring has been a major issue for Cadiz, with only 15 goals so far, the lowest in the league.
This is Cadiz’s fourth consecutive season in top-flight football, marking a successful period since the early 1990s.
Real Betis enters this match after a 1-1 draw with Getafe, with Mason Greenwood and Isco scoring. The team has drawn 11 times this season, winning eight.
Sitting eighth, Real Betis is two points off sixth place and 13 points from the top four, making Champions League qualification unlikely.
They will soon face Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa Conference League playoffs, but their immediate focus is on breaking a three-game winless streak against Cadiz.
Cadiz La Liga form: D L L L D D
Real Betis La Liga form: D L W L W D
Real Betis form (all competitions): L L W L W D
Team News
Cadiz will miss Luis Hernandez, Javi Hernandez, and Roger Marti due to injuries. Fede San Emeterio is doubtful, but Ruben Alcaraz and Fali return from suspensions.
Juanmi, on loan from Real Betis, might start, but Ruben Sobrino and Chris Ramos are likely to lead the attack.
Real Betis will be without Ezequiel Avila, Ayoze Perez, Guido Rodriguez, Youssouf Sabaly, and Marc Bartra due to injuries. Marc Roca and Claudio Bravo are doubtful.
Juan Miranda is expected to play at left-back, replacing the injured Abner. Pablo Fornals aims for his full debut, joining Nabil Fekir in the attack.
Cadiz possible starting lineup:
Ledesma;
Carcelen, Fali, Chust, Pires;
Alejo, Escalante, Alcaraz, Navarro;
Sobrino, Ramos
Real Betis possible starting lineup:
Silva;
Bellerin, Pezzella, Papastathopoulos, Miranda;
Cardoso, Altimira;
Rodri, Isco, Fornals;
Fekir
Prediction: Cadiz 1-1 Real Betis
We predict a 1-1 draw between Cadiz and Real Betis, mirroring their recent encounters, including a draw earlier this season. With both teams struggling for wins, a level score seems likely.
