Spain - Primera Division
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Played
February 23, 2013 7:00 PM GMT
Estadio Municipal de Riazor — A Coruña (La Coruña)
Referee:‬ Alfonso Álvarez‎
Attendance:‬ 30000‎
 
35′ Riki
Kaká 73′
 
Gonzalo Higuaín 88′

Deportivo La Coruna-Real Madrid Preview: Mourinho's side target third straight Liga win

Los Blancos will be hoping their recent upturn in form continues when they take on the Primera Division's basement club on Saturday

By Karthick Arvinth

More On :  Deportivo, Real Madrid CF, Deportivo vs Real Madrid CF
Sami Khedira, Rubén - Real Madrid v Rayo Vallecano
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DEPORTIVO LA CORUNA

Aranzubia
Silvio, Marchena, Ze Castro, Ayoze
Bergantinos, Assuncao
Gama, Aguilar, Pizzi
Riki
REAL MADRID

Lopez
Arbeloa, Varane, Pepe, Marcelo
Essien, Modric
Callejon, Kaka, Ronaldo
Higuain

Deportivo La Coruna welcome back defender Carlos Marchena from suspension for the Liga encounter with Real Madrid at the Riazor.

Left-back Ayoze has recovered from a thigh injury and could make his first start since December, but Aythami (hamstring), Laure (groin) and Manuel Pablo (suspension) are all sidelined.

Alvaro Arbeloa, Luka Modric and Gonzalo Higuain return for Madrid after serving a ban, but Sergio Ramos is ruled out after his red card against Rayo Vallecano.

Boss Jose Mourinho is likely to rotate his squad with one eye on Tuesday's Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Barcelona.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Deportivo La Coruna are on a five-match losing streak in La Liga.
  • The Galician outfit have conceded 54 goals in their 24 Liga matches, more than any other club.
  • Deportivo have won just three home games in all competitions this season (W3, D3, L6).
  • Real Madrid have won just one of their last six away matches across all competitions (W1, D2, L3).
  • Los Merengues have registered wins in five of their last six meetings with Deportivo.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured, right) has found the net eight times in his last five Liga matches.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Deportivo 0-4 Real Madrid CF
    17.74 %
  • Deportivo 0-3 Real Madrid CF
    10.55 %
  • Deportivo 1-3 Real Madrid CF
    10.36 %
Head to Head
Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Feb 23, 2013 Deportivo 1 - Real Madrid CF 2
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Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Sep 30, 2012 Real Madrid CF 5 - Deportivo 1
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Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Feb 26, 2011 Deportivo 0 - Real Madrid CF 0
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Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Oct 3, 2010 Real Madrid CF 6 - Deportivo 1
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Spain - Primera Division ‎(LIGA)‎ Jan 30, 2010 Deportivo 1 - Real Madrid CF 3
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Last Five Matches
Deportivo
May 19, 2013Deportivo 2 - Espanyol 0LIGA
May 11, 2013Valladolid 1 - Deportivo 0LIGA
May 4, 2013Deportivo 0 - Atletico Madrid 0LIGA
Apr 29, 2013Betis 1 - Deportivo 1LIGA
Apr 21, 2013Deportivo 1 - Athletic Bilbao 1LIGA
Real Madrid CF
May 17, 2013Real Madrid CF 1 - Atletico Madrid 2ESPC
May 11, 2013Espanyol 1 - Real Madrid CF 1LIGA
May 8, 2013Real Madrid CF 6 - Malaga 2LIGA
May 4, 2013Real Madrid CF 4 - Valladolid 3LIGA
Apr 30, 2013Real Madrid CF 2 - Borussia Dortmund 0UCL
Odds
Returns: Deportivo La Coruña £5010.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Draw £130.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Real Madrid £14.44 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Team News
Available Squads
1Dani AranzubiaGoalkeeper
17AyozeDefender
-SilvioDefender
-KakáDefender
24Carlos MarchenaDefender
12Paulo AssunçaoMidfielder
14A. AguilarMidfielder
21ValerónMidfielder
9PizziStriker
11RikiStriker
16Bruno GamaMidfielder
13Germán Darí­o LuxGoalkeeper
4Alex BergantiñosMidfielder
28Juan DomínguezMidfielder
18Javi CamuñasMidfielder
10Jesús VázquezMidfielder
22SalomãoMidfielder
25Nélson OliveiraStriker
13Diego López RodríguezGoalkeeper
3PepeDefender
2Ricardo CarvalhoDefender
12MarceloDefender
17ArbeloaDefender
8KakáMidfielder
5Michael EssienMidfielder
16Luka ModricMidfielder
21CallejónStriker
22Ángel Di MaríaMidfielder
20Gonzalo HiguaínStriker
13AdánGoalkeeper
15Fabio CoentraoDefender
18Raúl Albiol TortajadaDefender
6Sami KhediraMidfielder
10Mesut ÖzilMidfielder
26MorataStriker
7Cristiano RonaldoStriker
Players to Watch
Pizzi
Pizzi
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
33 8 7 1
With seven goals in 22 Liga appearances, the Portugal international has been one of Deportivo La Coruna's better performers this season. New Blanquiazules boss Fernando Vasquez will need Pizzi and Riki to continue producing the goods in front of goal if he is to perform a minor miracle and guide the struggling Galician club to safety.
Gonzalo Higuaín
Gonzalo Higuaín
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 20
Games Goals YC RC
26 14 4 1
The Argentine striker has been on the fringes of Real Madrid's first-team but looks set to get the nod in attack at the Riazor on Saturday. Higuain's loss of form is a major worry for Los Blancos, who have become increasingly reliant on the brilliance of Cristiano Ronaldo to drag them out of trouble this season.
Prediction
Real have effectively thrown in the towel in the title race, but they will have realistic hopes of catching up to city rivals Atletico Madrid, who are four points ahead in the table. Deportivo need to start picking up points from somewhere, but they have been all over the place defensively.
Editor's Prediction
Deportivo La Coruña 0
Real Madrid 3
Results
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