Girona will be bidding to return to winning ways in La Liga when they travel to Cadiz on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors have made a brilliant start to the campaign, sitting third in the table, boasting 19 points from their opening eight matches, but they were beaten 3-0 at home by Real Madrid last time out, while Cadiz will enter the match off the back of a 3-2 loss at Atletico Madrid.
Match preview
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All things considered, it has been a solid start to the campaign for Cadiz, with the team winning two, drawing three and losing three of their eight league matches to collect nine points, which is enough for 12th position.
The Yellow Submarine are currently on a four-game winless run in Spain's top flight, though, picking up just two points in the process, and they will enter this match off the back of a 3-2 loss at Atletico on Sunday.
Sergio Gonzalez's were incredibly two goals ahead at Atletico, with Lucas Pires and Roger on the scoresheet in the opening 27 minutes, but the hosts then managed to score three times without reply to secure the victory.
Cadiz are in their fourth straight campaign at this level of football, which represents comfortably their best run since the early 1990s, so it is a successful period in the club's history.
El Submarino Amarillo, who finished 14th in La Liga last season, actually secured four points from their two league matches against Girona during the 2022-23 campaign, including a 2-0 win on home soil.
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Girona, meanwhile, suffered their first loss of the campaign last weekend, conceding three unanswered goals at home to Real Madrid in what was a reality check for the Catalan outfit.
Michel's side can still be delighted with their start to the season, though, winning six, drawing one and losing one of their opening eight league matches, which has left them third in the table on 19 points, just two points behind the leaders Real Madrid heading into the next set of fixtures.
Girona are only in their fourth campaign at this level, but they have already achieved two top-half finishes and will be eyeing their highest-ever position in La Liga this term.
The White and Reds have been excellent on their travels in the league this season, drawing with Real Sociedad before recording three straight wins over Sevilla, Granada and Villarreal.
The goals have been shared around in the squad, which has been a huge part of their success so far this season, but summer arrival Artem Dovbyk is the joint-leading goalscorer for the campaign alongside Yangel Herrera, with both players finding the back of the net on three occasions.
Team News
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Cadiz lost Fali to an injury in the first half of the clash with Atletico, and his absence is expected to lead to Mamadou Mbaye being introduced into the XI for this contest.
The home side are also missing Luis Hernandez, Victor Chust, Fede San Emeterio, Juan Cala and Brian Ocampo for the contest with the team currently sitting third in the table.
Roger was substituted at the interval of the game with Atletico last time out but is fit to start, and he is expected to again be joined in the final third of the field by Chris Ramos.
Girona, meanwhile, will be without the services of Portu, Bernardo Espinosa, Joel Roca, Ricard Artero and Toni Villa for the contest with Cadiz.
Viktor Tsygankov is also expected to miss out with the thigh problem that he suffered against Real Madrid, with the attacker being forced off at the interval of that match.
Valery is set to be introduced into the side, but it might otherwise be the same team that started against Los Blancos, with head coach Michel expected to resist the temptation to make wholesale changes to an XI that has largely impressed this term.
Cadiz possible starting lineup:
Ledesma; Zaldua, Mere, Mbaye, J Hernandez, Pires; Kouame, Sobrino, Alcaraz; Roger, Ramos
Girona possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; Couto, E Garcia, Blind, Gutierrez; Valery, Herrera, D Lopez, A Garcia, Savio; Dovbyk
We say: Cadiz 1-1 Girona
This is a test of Girona's credentials following the defeat to Real Madrid, but Cadiz are not a soft touch, and we are actually backing a draw here. Girona only picked up one point from their two league games with Cadiz last season and might have to accept a share of the spoils in Saturday's encounter.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Matt Law
