Leganés and Cádiz set to renew their long-awaited rivalry
Like a cat and mouse, CD Leganés and Cádiz CF have spent the past years largely avoiding each other. Despite both sides having spent time in professional football, the Pepineros and the Cadistas seem to have kept their distance.
When Cádiz achieved the long-awaited promotion to Segunda, Leganés enjoyed a golden era in Primera. And when Cádiz reached the heights of the top flight, Leganés found themselves back in the second tier. This back-and-forth pattern continued until, for better or worse for both clubs, they have finally crossed paths.
To observe their latest meeting, we have to go back to March 28, 2004. The two teams were in Segunda that day, and Cádiz walked away with the win thanks to Dani Navarrete’s goal in the 32nd minute. A fond memory for Gaizka Garitano’s Cádiz-side, who will seek to repeat the successful result to prove that Cádiz’s new yellow cycle is real. On the other side stands Leganés, led by Paco López, who arrives as one of the favorites to finish in the top half after their relegation from Primera and who boast a squad filled with high-caliber players.
What to expect this time around is a tactical duel between two clubs with a shared history of yo-yoing between divisions. The clash offers both teams a chance to reaffirm their ambitions in Segunda and to shift the narrative of a rivalry that has waited years to be reignited. The upcoming matchup will put Leganés’ plans under Paco López to the test against Cádiz’s current project under Gaizka Garitano, with both sides eyeing a positive statement in a season that promises to be telling for their respective trajectories.