Soccer Spain LaLiga Prediction

Elche vs Cadiz CF - Match Preview

⚽ 4 June 2023 - 19:00 GMT +0

With Elche guaranteed to finish last and Espanyol’s relegation also confirmed, one monumental question remains after 37 rounds of La Liga (LL) action this season: which club will be joining them in the second tier for next season. The permutations are seemingly endless with six relegation-threatened sides separated by a mere two points heading into the final day, but Sebastián Beccacece’s men could still have their say when they host Cádiz, the leaders of that six-team pack.

Many anticipated that Elche would roll over and surrender after their fate was sealed back in Round 33, but quite the opposite has happened. The Franjiverde have turned the tables and gone unbeaten across the following four games (W2, D2), meaning a third of their total tally of 24 points have come in those games. Scoring in each of those games also means they’re no longer the league’s outright lowest scorers, which is instead a tag they now share with their incoming visitors.

It may get messy near the bottom, but 13th-placed Cádiz do have the privilege of owning the most ‘get out of jail free’ cards heading into the season’s finale after crucial wins over fellow strugglers Celta Vigo (1-0) and Real Valladolid (2-0) in their final two home fixtures. The Yellow Submarine will only go under in the unlikely circumstances that a loss for them is coupled with wins for Valladolid, Celta Vigo and Almería, while Valencia would also need to pick up at least one point.

That’s a lot of ‘ifs’, but it can all be avoided if Sergio’s troops can pick up points on the road here, something they’ve failed to do in their last three attempts. Their travelling contingent may be in for a nervy 90 minutes, especially considering they’ve also lost two of their last four visits to Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero (D2).

📋 Key battle: This match could be won or lost by the men between the posts as these two teams possess the keepers with the most saves this LL season. Elche’s Édgar Badía has racked up a league-high 137 saves, while Cádiz's Jeremías Ledesma deputises with 131 to his name.

⚡ Hot stat: Only two of Cádiz’s last 11 matches have seen both teams score.