Quarte vs Girona 27.10.2026: Prediction, Betting Tips and Match Preview

The Copa del Rey can be a funny old competition, and this year’s last-64 draw has produced a meeting that might be more eventful than the league tables alone would suggest. Cuarte, scrapping away in the fifth tier of Spanish football, prepare to host Girona, a club with genuine ambitions of returning to La Liga. Both teams arrive in promising shape, but for the home side this is nothing less than a season-defining occasion. To make matters more intriguing, Cuarte’s manager Chus Herrera spent two years of his playing career at Girona, so there is a personal edge to the narrative that goes far beyond the simple gap in division.

Tactical Analysis: Cuarte

Cuarte currently operate in Tercera Federación, the fifth level of Spanish football, and they have made a bright start to the league campaign. After eight rounds, the Aragonese outfit sit on 14 points, comfortably inside the top five of their group. What is perhaps more striking is their recent momentum: they have not lost in four consecutive matches, a run that has helped them build confidence ahead of a showdown with a professional side. The attacking numbers are decent as well, with 17 goals scored in those eight league games. The chief danger man is Rodrigo Tapia, who has already found the net six times this season.

The story of the tie, however, is not only about the players on the pitch. Chus Herrera, now leading Cuarte from the dugout, made 45 appearances for Girona between 2012 and 2014. He will be desperate to test himself against his former employers and add another chapter to his personal history. There is also the familiar advantage of playing at home. The Juan Guerrero El Lobo stadium, with its artificial surface, holds around two thousand spectators, and the unusual pitch could level the playing field to a certain extent. On the other hand, Cuarte have had very little prior experience in matches of this magnitude. In the 2024/25 Copa del Rey, they made their debut in the competition and fell 1-3 at home to Racing Ferrol, a side then competing in the Segunda División. Now they face another, arguably sterner, challenge from a division above.

Tactical Analysis: Girona

The white-and-red half of Catalonia, as represented by Girona, are in the middle of a push for promotion back to the top flight. Their form has been commendable, to put it mildly. The team are unbeaten in six consecutive Segunda matches, claiming four wins and two draws in that stretch. The most recent outing, on 24 October, was a emphatic 5-1 victory over Celta B, in which Vladislav Vanat stole the show with a hat-trick. After eleven league rounds, Girona have collected 21 points and remain firmly in the group of clubs expected to fight for a return to Primera. Their defensive solidity has also improved, with only two goals conceded across the previous five league fixtures.

There is, though, a note of caution ahead of the cup trip. This match will be Girona’s second in just four days, and with the league campaign taking priority, coach Kike Álvarez is likely to shuffle his pack. Positive news arrives in the shape of Cristhian Stuani, who has recovered from an injury and is again available. However, the treatment room is not empty: Bryan Gil, Jastin García and Javier Bonyar are all still sidelined. Despite these absences, the difference in quality between the two squads remains significant, and Girona will be expected to carry the bulk of the attacking initiative.

Predicted Lineups

Cuarte (4-2-3-1):

• Jiménez
• Sánchez, Clavero, Vera, P. López
• Losfablos, Peralta
• Valdés, De Sus, J. Pérez
• Tapia

Unavailable: none Head Coach: Chus Herrera

Girona (4-2-3-1):

• Krapivtsov
• Morey, Mumin, Zamorano, Furtado
• Kuruma, Morante
• Porto, Van de Beek, C. Pérez
• Ruiz

Unavailable: J. García, Bonyar, Gil (all injured) Head Coach: Kike Álvarez

Prediction and Bet

Given the obvious chasm in class, many would write off the home side before a ball is kicked. Yet the circumstances of this cup tie suggest otherwise. Cuarte have not lost in four matches, they enjoy a home pitch that visiting teams can find difficult to adapt to, and Girona are all but guaranteed to field a heavily rotated eleven. There is also the precedent from last season, when Cuarte kept a Segunda opponent to a respectable 1-3 scoreline in this very competition. With the hosts operating at full motivation and the guests perhaps more focused on the weekend league outing, a heavy defeat for the Aragonese side does not appear likely. The main prediction therefore is Cuarte +2.5 on the handicap.

As for the total goals market, there is a fairly strong case to be made for a modestly contested match. Girona have not exactly been prolific on the road this season, failing to score more than twice in any of their four away league games, with the overall total never exceeding three goals in those fixtures. On top of that, they will have to solve problems posed by an artificial surface and a deep, disciplined defensive block. The memory of last year’s cup run also serves as a warning: Girona were eliminated in the round of 32 by Ourense, a third-division side, losing 1-2 away from home. Taking all this into account, the second selection is total goals under 4.5.