Preview: Cadiz vs. Villarreal - prediction, team news, lineups

Two teams in impressive form will lock horns in La Liga on Sunday afternoon with newly-promoted Cadiz welcoming high-flying Villarreal to Estadio Ramon de Carranza.

Cadiz have picked up 10 points from their first six matches of the 2020-21 campaign to sit fifth in the table, while Villarreal are second with 11 points to show from their opening six fixtures.

Match preview

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Cadiz finished second in last season's Segunda Division to secure a return to La Liga for the first time since being relegated in 2006 and therefore staying in the top flight is their main priority this term.

Alvaro Cervera 's side have impressed and indeed surprised many with their performances in the opening weeks, though, and a return of 10 points from six matches has left them in fifth position in the table.

Cadiz have had an excellent October, beating Athletic Bilbao at the start of the month before holding Granada to a 1-1 draw on home soil just before the international break.

El Submarino Amarillo then recorded one of the most famous results in their history, beating Real Madrid 1-0 at the Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium last weekend courtesy of a first-half effort from Anthony Lozano.

Cadiz will be desperate to pick up another positive result this weekend, but they are winless in their three home La Liga fixtures this term, losing to Osasuna and Sevilla in the process.

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Villarreal, meanwhile, have also enjoyed an impressive start to the 2020-21 campaign, picking up 11 points from their six matches to sit second in the table, level on points with leaders Real Madrid.

Unai Emery 's side lost 4-0 to Barcelona at the end of September but have picked up seven points from their three league games since, including a goalless draw at Atletico Madrid on October 3 and a 2-1 victory over Valencia last weekend.

The Yellow Submarine were also in Europa League action on Thursday night, opening their Group I campaign with a 5-3 victory over Turkish outfit Sivasspor on home soil.

The games are coming thick and fast at the moment as Villarreal are also in European action next week, facing a trip to Azerbaijan to tackle Qarabag before hosting Real Valladolid on November 2.

The 2007-08 La Liga runners-up finished fifth in the league last season and will be looking for a similar spot this term, with the team seemingly heading firmly in the right direction once again.

Cadiz La Liga form: LWLWDW

Villarreal La Liga form: DWLWDW

Villarreal form (all competitions): WLWDWW

Team News

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Cadiz will again be without the services of Luismi Quezada due to a knee problem, but Marcos Mauro and Isaac Carcelen could overcome muscular and hamstring issues respectively to make the squad.

There is every chance that Alvaro could decide to select the same XI that started against Madrid last weekend, with veteran forward Alvaro Negredo joining Lozano in the final third of the field.

Lozano was actually replaced at the interval of the clash with Los Blancos after suffering a knock in the first half, but the forward has trained normally this week and will be fit barring a late setback.

Villarreal's injury list is fairly substantial at the moment, with Dani Parejo, Pervis Estupinan, Alberto Moreno and Ramiro Guerra definitely out of this weekend's contest.

Gerard Moreno is also again expected to miss out with the problem that he picked up while away with Spain, while Takefusa Kubo is suspended due to his red card in the win over Valencia last weekend.

Parejo's absence will open the door for Francis Coquelin to start in central midfield, while Paco Alcacer, who scored twice off the bench against Sivasspor, should lead the line despite the presence of Carlos Bacca.

Vicente Iborra, Moi Gomez, Alfonso Pedraza, Pau Torres, Mario Gaspar and Sergio Asenjo should also be restored to the starting lineup following Thursday's European encounter.

Cadiz possible starting lineup:

Ledesma; Akapo, Jimenez, Cala, Espino; Salvi, Mari, Jonsson, Alex ; Negredo, Lozano

Villarreal possible starting lineup:

Asenjo; Gaspar, Albiol, Torres, Pedraza; M Gomez, Coquelin, Iborra, Trigueros, Chukwueze; Alcacer

We say: Cadiz 1-2 Villarreal

As mentioned, Cadiz have been much better on their travels than at home this season, and Villarreal will provide tough opposition on Sunday afternoon. The visitors have not had long to prepare for this match due to their involvement in the Europa League, but we expect Emery's side to shade a close game this weekend.

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