Atletico Madrid vs Cadiz

Cadiz’s fight against the drop takes them to the Metropolitano Stadium to take on a relentless Atletico Madrid side in midweek La Liga action.

Atletico Madrid’s response to a frustrating 1-0 defeat at Barcelona a fortnight ago has been ferocious, with Diego Simeone’s side dispatching Mallorca and Valladolid by an aggregate score of 8-3 in the last two rounds to all but wrap up an 11th straight top-four finish in La Liga. Despite continuous speculation over Simeone’s long-term future in Madrid, ‘Los Colchoneros’ will take the Metropolitano pitch, where they’ve won six consecutive league matches in the run-up to this clash, in high spirits, looking to extend their formidable home record against Cadiz. They have posted a mind-blowing 13 wins in their 14 historic top-flight H2Hs on home turf (D1), including all three victories in the 21st century by an aggregate score of 9-1. The extension of that run would see Atletico win 7+ home league matches in a row across one La Liga season for the first time since 2021.

In the meantime, visiting Cadiz arrested an underwhelming three-match winless league run (D1, L2) with an all-important 2-1 home win over fellow relegation rivals Valencia last weekend. Despite walking a tightrope for years, ‘El Submarino Amarillo’ could again secure top-flight survival by the skin of their teeth, considering they come into this round harboring a four-point lead on 18th-placed Espanyol. Achieving back-to-back La Liga wins for the first time since May 2021 could be a season-defining moment for Cadiz, yet their disastrous 15-game form against Atletico in La Liga (W1, D4, L10) won’t inspire much confidence. But that lone success was a 3-2 triumph in the reverse fixture, meaning they could complete their first-ever league double over their more esteemed hosts.