Relegation candidates Cadiz will welcome top-four hopefuls Atletico Madrid to Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla this Saturday as both sides battle for maximum points in the 12th round of the 2022/23 La Liga season.
Venue: Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla (Cadiz)
Key Statistics
Cadiz have conceded two red cards and a penalty in their last three league games.
The hosts have scored in just one of their six La Liga home fixtures this season (D3, L3).
Only Elche (26) have conceded more goals than Cadiz (22).
Cádiz have lost all four LL games this season without suspended midfielder Rubén Alcaraz by a combined score of 10-0.
Atletico Madrid are unbeaten in their last five league games (W4, D1).
They have the second-best away record of the season so far (W5, D1).
The visitors have kept four clean sheets in their last six away league games.
Atletico have an aggregate score of 11-2 in four wins from four La Liga clashes with clubs in the bottom half of the standings this season.
Head to head
Atletico have won eight of the last ten of the last 14 league meeting between both sides (D4).
Latest performances in all competitions
Cadiz: L-D-D-D-D
Atletico Madrid: D-W-D-W-D
Cadiz
Cadiz will hope to just their second league game of the season when they host Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
The hosts saw their five-game unbeaten run in the league emphatically ended last time when they were beaten 5-1 by Rayo Vallecano away from home.
The defeat left them three points inside the relegation zone and with the second most-porous defence at the end of Round 11.
With reports that the future of the under-fire manager Sergio González is now safe for at least until the World Cup break, the hosts can be expected to put together a decent run of results as they attempt to push themselves out of the red zone and up to mid-table.
Having escaped with valuable points against the likes of Real Betis and Villarreal at home, they will be confident of recording another positive result in this game. However, they have a very poor record against Atletico, with zero wins against the team from the capital in their last 15 head-to-head meetings,
Possible Cadiz starting line-up
Jeremias Ledesma; Fali, Luis Hernandez, Victor Chust, Alphonso Espino; Ruben Sobrino, Fede San Emeterio, Jose Mari, Brian Ocampo; Alex Fernandez; Alvaro Negredo.
Injured: Joseba Zaldua, Ivan Alejo, Jon Garrido
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Carcelen Valencia, Ruben Alcarez
Atletico Madrid
After a crushing end to their Champions League dream last Wednesday, Atletico Madrid will turn their attention to La Liga, looking to continue their impressive run of form.
The visitors were dumped out of the Champions League after recording a 2-2 draw with Bayer Leverkusen at the Wanda Metropolitano in midweek. In a dramatic game in the Spanish capital city, Atletico came from behind twice to snatch a 2-2 draw. They even had a chance to win the game late in the match after VAR had asked referee Clement Turpin to check for a possible penalty, although the French referee had blown the full-time whistle.
The spot kick was eventually awarded, but goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky pulled off a smart save to deny the hosts with Saul Nunez hitting the frame of the goal from the rebound.
The result leaves Diego Simeone’s side at the precipice in Europe, as they could be out of even the Europa League if they lose their last game of the group stages.
With pressure now mounting over the future of Simeone who described the draw with Leverkusen as the “toughest” night of his 11-year tenure, the Argentine will be keen to return to winning ways in La Liga where his side are on a good patch of form. After a wobbly start to the season, Rojiblancos have enjoyed impressive results in recent times in the league.
They come into this tie unbeaten in their last five league games (W4, D1). Their last outing was a 2-1 win over Real Betis–a win that strengthened their grip on the third position.
Given their form away from home where Atletico have grafted the second-best away record of the season so far (W5, D1) to keep in touch with the top two, they will fancy their chances of recording a win here. The presence of a struggling opposition in front of them should also be welcomed by the Atlético troops, who have an aggregate score of 11-2 in four wins from four domestic clashes with clubs in the bottom half of the standings.
Possible Atletico Madrid starting line-up
Jan Oblak; Felipe, Jose Gimenez, Stefan Savic, Reinildo Mandava; Angel Correa, Geoffrey Kondogbia, Axel Witsel, Saul Niguez; Alvaro Morata, Antoine Griezmann.
Injured: Koke, Thomas Lemar, Marcos Llorente, Sergio Reguilon
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Cadiz 0-3 Atletico Madrid
