Deportivo La Coruna vs. Real Madrid: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info
Five became four, four became three, three became two and now here we are: One to go.
It was back on April 20 when this furious five-game dash to the line all started, a three-way tussle between Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid for La Liga's crown. One point had separated them; perfection was required.
Two of them have achieved it.
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On Saturday, after Atletico's slip-up last weekend that saw this race reduced from three runners to two, Madrid and Barcelona enter one final shootout. At the Estadio Nuevo Los Carmenes, Barcelona take on Granada. Hundreds of miles north at the Estadio Riazor, Madrid meet Deportivo La Coruna at the same time.
"Cava or Champagne," read the cover of Marca on Saturday.
For Madrid and manager Zinedine Zidane, it seems fitting that it ends with Depor given it was they with whom this all started. Depor, after all, were Zidane's first opponents after replacing Rafa Benitez in early January at a time of institutional turmoil. Until then, Madrid had looked fractured and directionless, but that night they won 5-0, and everything has changed since.
There have been some bumps along the way, of course, but the manner in which Madrid have stormed to the season's finish line under Zidane has been impressive. In the league, they're currently on an 11-game winning run, while in Europe they've marched their way into the Champions League final.
"The work that has been done so far has been phenomenal," Zidane told reporters on Friday, via the club website. "Tomorrow we will find out how the first final goes and later on, we'll find out about the second."
The issue for Madrid, though, is that on Saturday matters aren't simply down to them. Trailing Barcelona by a point, the men from the capital need to win and for Barcelona to lose or draw at Granada—a Granada side who secured survival last weekend and who have nothing to play for.
Enter the suspicion.
On Friday, the first three questions at Zidane's pre-match press conference centred on an issue that arises at this time every year: bonuses.
In Spain, it's known as the "maletin," which translates to briefcase—a third-party payment made to teams like Granada as an incentive to win and try harder when little is on the line. Somehow, the concept is accepted and tolerated despite the questions it raises; only third-party payments as an incentive to lose are heavily investigated.
"I'm not going to focus on what others do," said Zidane when pressed on the issue. "I can talk about what we're going to do. I can talk about real things."
There was little else Zidane could say, but the "real things" he referred to are worth talking about.
After all, it's remarkable that Madrid have even reached this point. This has been a season riddled with turmoil, debacles and controversy at the Bernabeu, and for a while, there seemed to be a new disaster every week: managerial turnover, Sergio Ramos' saga, Iker Casillas' exit, the ridiculous pre-season, David De Gea's botched transfer, the first Clasico, "Cadizazo," James Rodriguez and the police, Karim Benzema and a blackmail scandal, right-back headaches and comical press conferences.
It's astonishing to reflect on all of it, and yet here Madrid are anyway, still fighting. Somehow.
It speaks of the recovery job Zidane has performed, and on Saturday, his players take on Depor in one last league battle. The equation for them is simple: win and hope.
"Anything is possible in Granada," declared the cover of AS.
Zidane and Madrid will need it to be.
Match Details
Date: Saturday, May 14
Time: 4 p.m. BST/11 a.m. ET/5 p.m. local
Venue: Estadio Riazor, La Coruna, Spain
TV Info: Sky Sports 4 (UK), beIN Sports (U.S.)
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), beIN Sports Connect (U.S.)
Form Lines
| W: 2-0 vs. Villarreal | W: 3-2 vs. Valencia |
| L: 0-2 vs. Getafe | W: 1-0 vs. Manchester City |
| D: 1-1 vs. Eibar | W: 1-0 vs. Real Sociedad |
| L: 0-8 vs. Barcelona | D: 0-0 vs. Manchester City |
| D: 1-1 vs. Sevilla | W: 3-2 vs. Rayo Vallecano |
| L: 1-3 vs. Las Palmas | W: 3-0 vs. Villarreal |
Team News
For Deportivo La Coruna, Fernando Navarro returns from suspension and will slot in at left-back for this clash, while Laure could cover for the injured Juanfran on the other side of the back four. Manu will also continue in goal in the ongoing absence of the injured German Lux.
In midfield, Celso Borges will also return from suspension and will join Pedro Mosquera in the central pairing, while Fede Cartabia and Faycal Fajr should occupy the wide berths.
Up front, meanwhile, leading scorer Lucas Perez should be partnered by Luis Alberto.
For Real Madrid, a full-strength XI looks set to be available for Zidane, who's been forced to shuffle his side around in recent weeks because of a number of niggling injuries.
If that transpires, Keylor Navas will reclaim the gloves from Kiko Casilla, while Dani Carvajal and Pepe will return to join Sergio Ramos and Marcelo in defence.
In midfield, Luka Modric will come back in after sitting out the clash with Valencia to join Casemiro and Toni Kroos, while Gareth Bale will return to replace the injured Lucas Vazquez in the front three.
Predicted Lineups
In the Spotlight
Odds (via Odds Shark)
Deportivo La Coruna: 12-1
Draw: 7-1
Real Madrid: 1-5
