Girona will be bidding to make it back-to-back wins in Spain's top flight when they travel to struggling Cadiz on Friday night.
The visitors, who sit 11th in the table, will enter the contest off the back of a 1-0 victory over Valencia, while 18th-placed Cadiz suffered a 4-1 defeat to Athletic Bilbao in their last match on February 3.
Match preview
© Reuters
Cadiz are currently involved in a relegation battle, with the club sitting 18th in the La Liga table, boasting 19 points from their opening 20 matches of the campaign.
However, the Yellow Submarine are only one point behind 17th-placed Valencia and actually only four from Celta Vigo in 12th, which is an indication of how quickly things could change in the table.
Cadiz were in good form ahead of their clash with Athletic last time out, but they found it difficult at San Mames, suffering a 4-1 defeat, with Oihan Sancet scoring three times for the hosts during a standout performance.
Sergio Gonzalez's side are unlikely to get much change out of Barcelona in their next match after this one on February 19, which increases the importance of picking up a strong result on Friday night.
El Submarino Amarillo, who have finished 12th and 17th in their last two La Liga campaigns, played out a 1-1 draw with Girona in the reverse contest earlier this season, and they have not actually beaten Friday's opponents since a Segunda Division clash in September 2019.
© Reuters
Girona, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a positive result, having recorded a 1-0 victory over Valencia on Sunday, with Borja Garcia netting the only goal of the contest.
The result moved the Catalan outfit onto 24 points, which has left them in 11th position in the table, boasting a record of six wins, six draws and eight defeats from 20 matches.
Girona are actually five points clear of the relegation zone, so a victory on Friday would open up a healthy advantage and leave them eyeing a potential top-half position.
Michel's side have been strong at home this season, picking up 18 points from 11 matches, but they have been less impressive on their travels, only collecting six points from nine games.
Girona only secured a return to La Liga through last season's Segunda Division playoffs, but they have not looked out of place this season, and the White and Reds will be eyeing wins in their next two matches against Cadiz and Almeria ahead of a trip to Athletic.
Team News
© Reuters
Cadiz's squad will be boosted by the return of Ruben Alcaraz from suspension, but the Yellow Submarine will still have a number of absentees through injury.
Indeed, Jose Mari, Fede San Emeterio, David Gil, Juan Cala, Victor Chust and Joseba Zaldua remain on the sidelines for the relegation-threatened hosts.
Head coach Sergio is expected to resist the temptation to make wholesale changes from the side that started against Athletic Bilbao, but Anthony Lozano could return in the final third of the field.
As for Girona, Arnau Martinez will be back in the starting XI, as the highly-rated 19-year-old has served the suspension that kept him out against Valencia.
Cristhian Stuani is out of this match due to a ban of his own, though, while Yan Couto, David Lopez, Reinier and Ibrahima Kebe will remain on the sidelines through injury.
Borja Garcia is expected to continue in the final third of the field alongside Valentin Castellanos, while Toni Villa and Ivan Martin should again feature in the wide positions.
Cadiz possible starting lineup:
Ledesma; Carcelen, Hernandez, Mbaye, Espino; Bongonda, Escalante, Fali, Alcaraz, Ocampo; Lozano
Girona possible starting lineup:
Gazzaniga; Martinez, Bueno, Espinosa, Gutierrez; Martin, A Garcia, Romeu, Villa; B Garcia, Castellanos
We say: Cadiz 1-1 Girona
Girona will be the more confident of the two sides entering this match, but they have only won once on their travels in the league this season, so it is difficult to back them to triumph here. Cadiz have lost just three times at home, meanwhile, drawing five of their 10 matches, and we are backing another stalemate here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
