C.D. Leganés host F.C. Cartagena in Nafti's managerial debut at the Butarque

This Tuesday, C.D. Leganés play their 14th game of the LaLiga SmartBank season against F.C. Cartagena at the Estadio Municipal Butarque. The Pepineros are hunting for a home win, both for the fans and for the new manager, Mehdi Nafti, who will make his Blanquiazul managerial debut

A new era begins for C.D. Leganés, who play their first game under new manager Mehdi Nafti this Tuesday after Asier Garitano's departure. The last defeat the Pepineros endured was by the slimmest of margins against league leaders U.D. Almería (1-0), but it capped off a string of poor results and sealed the deal for the change at the wheel. 

The squad has only trained twice under the French-Tunisian manager, but will have to rally as they prepare to compete in front of the home crowd to improve their form and escape from the relegation threat. Nafti inherits the injury crisis that plagued Garitano in the last few weeks, compounded by the two recent suspensions handed to Sergio González and Rubén Pardo (who has only two more games to serve). However, the list of absences consists of familiar names: Bustinza, Omeruo, Quintillà, Doukouré, Avilés, Bárcenas, Bautista and Sabin Merino, who are all recovering from fitness issues.

F.C. Cartagena hoping a win can reignite play-off dreams

F.C. Cartagena will be travelling down the table on their journey to the Butarque. Cartagena find themselves just in the top half of the division, despite their two most recent fixtures ending in consecutive losses to S.D. Eibar (2-1) and S.D. Ponferradina (0-1) and costing them their play-off spot. A team immune to draws, their 18 points have come from 6 wins in 13 games so far.

Manager Luis Carrión will be disappointed by the recently accumulated injuries in his side in their previous encounter against S.D. Ponferradina, which extends his absentee list to: Gastón Silva, Tejera, Nacho Gil, Kawaya and Luna. The Albinegro coach was happy to confirm the return of both Antoñito and Alcalá though. 

The match will be officiated by the Navarran referee, Sr. D. Eduardo Prieto Iglesias.