Espanyol – Cadiz CF : Preview & Prediction
RCD Espanyol (19th, 27th) and Cádiz CF (16th, 31st) face each other in a decisive duel for permanence in LaLiga Santander (LL), although there are still 24 points at stake for both clubs. For Espanyol, who are on a run of six defeats -the worst active streak in the current championship-, this Friday’s clash at the RCDE Stadium is a real final, and a win would allow the Pericos to sleep outside the relegation zone and regain confidence to face a very difficult schedule.
After hosting Cadiz, Espanyol will visit Villarreal before facing another battle at home against a direct rival (Getafe, April 30). In these two imminent matches at the RCDE Stadium, Luis García’s team will be playing for a good part of their chances of avoiding relegation. Los Pericos have scored in 15 consecutive LL matches, but defense has been their Achilles’ heel; since their 1-0 win at Elche (matchday 22), Espanyol have conceded at least one goal in 12 halves of play (G1, P6).
With four points more than the Blue and Whites, Cádiz will take a huge step towards salvation if they return to winning ways at Cornellá. It should be noted that only two of the nine opponents that the yellow team will face in the final stretch of the championship occupy one of the top eight positions in the table. Sergio Gonzalez’s side have taken five of their last six points away from home, three of them coming from their last outing, a vital 2-0 win over Real Betis.
Given Espanyol’s fragility at the back this season, the Yellows coach should be confident of extending the scoring streak he records against his former club: in each of Sergio’s six matches as coach against the Perico side, his team has found the net (G2, E3, P1). In the current campaign, Cádiz have been held scoreless in just one of their eight matches against teams in 14th to 20th place going into this matchday (G2, E6).
Players to watch: Joselu, who scored a brace in Espanyol’s visit to the Nuevo Mirandilla in the first round, has scored in each of his seven games against Cádiz (10 goals). Rubén Alcaraz’s goal opened the way to victory for Cádiz away to Betis; the Catalan midfielder has broken the 0-0 scoreline in two of the Yellows’ three away wins in LL 2022-23.
Key stat: Cádiz’s last seven league games have been
Espanyol – Cadiz CF : Betting Tips
Espanyol – Win Odds: 2.25
