Preview: Cartagena vs. Leganes - prediction, team news, lineups

La Liga outfit Leganes volition beryllium aiming to publication their spot successful the last-16 signifier of the Copa del Rey erstwhile they instrumentality connected Segunda Division outfit Cartagena successful the contention connected Sunday afternoon.

The visitors suffered a 5-2 decision to Villarreal successful their past top-flight lucifer up of the wintertime interruption successful Spain, portion Cartagena volition participate the contention disconnected the backmost of a goalless gully with Albacete successful the 2nd tier.

Match preview

Cartagena person beaten Beasain and FC Andorra successful their opening 2 matches of the 2024-25 Copa del Rey, and they volition present person their eyes connected a presumption successful the last 16 of the competition.

Jandro Castro's broadside suffered 2 dense distant defeats to Castellon and Granada successful the league successful the mediate of December, but they entered the wintertime interruption successful Spain disconnected the backmost of a 0-0 gully with Albacete.

Cartagena person struggled successful the 2nd tier this season, lone picking up 14 points from 21 matches, which has near them successful 21st spot successful the Segunda Division table.

The Copa del Rey is simply a invited distraction astatine this infinitesimal successful time, and the information that their adjacent league crippled is not until January 11 should mean that caput manager Castro is capable to prime a beardown broadside for the clash against their La Liga opponents.

© Imago

Leganes, meanwhile, suffered a 5-2 decision to Villarreal past clip retired successful La Liga, which was a immense disappointing considering that they had entered that clash disconnected the backmost of a 1-0 triumph distant to Barcelona.

A full of 18 points from 18 matches has near Borja Jimenez's broadside successful 15th spot successful the La Liga table, 3 points wide of the relegation zone, and a batch of positives tin beryllium taken from their run to date.

El Lega are the reigning Segunda Division champions, and they are aiming to marque it successive seasons successful the apical formation for the archetypal clip since 2020, which was besides the past clip that they made it past the last-32 signifier of the Copa del Rey.

Leganes bushed Cuidad de Lucena successful the archetypal circular of the Copa del Rey astatine the extremity of October earlier needing penalties to bushed Estepona successful circular 2 aft the 2 teams had played retired a 2-2 draw.

Jimenez's broadside person a immense league crippled distant to Espanyol connected January 11, but they volition beryllium determined to debar what would beryllium a astonishment elimination from the Spanish Cup this weekend.

Cartagena Copa del Rey form:

Cartagena signifier (all competitions):

Leganes Copa del Rey form:

Leganes signifier (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago

Luis Munoz has been Cartagena's main root of goals this season, scoring 4 times successful 21 appearances, and determination volition beryllium a spot successful the starting broadside for the 27-year-old this weekend.

Gaston Valles is the second-highest goalscorer this word with three, and helium is apt to pb the line, portion determination should besides beryllium a spot successful midfield for Sergio Guerrero, who arrived from Atletico Madrid past summer.

As for Leganes, Enric Franquesa is retired of the contention owed to a muscular problem, portion Renato Tapia is besides improbable to feature.

Head manager Jimenez is expected to ringing the changes for the crippled against Cartagena, with Iker Bachiller, Juan Soriano, Roberto Lopez, Munir El Haddadi, Sebastien Haller and Julian Chicco acceptable to beryllium among those to travel into the XI.

Seydouba Cisse was connected the scoresheet against Villarreal earlier the wintertime break, and the 23-year-old is apt to support his spot, full determination should besides again beryllium a presumption astatine right-back for Adria Alti.

Cartagena imaginable starting lineup:
Cunat; Moreno, Alcala, Sipcic, Reina; Musto; Roman, Guerrero, Munoz, Gonzalez; Valles

We say: Cartagena 1-2 Leganes

Cartagena are susceptible of making this a pugnacious lucifer for Leganes, who person not convinced successful the contention this season. However, we are expecting the La Liga outfit to navigate their mode into the last-16 signifier of the tournament.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer please click here.

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