Real Madrid vs. Deportivo: Team News, Preview, Live Stream, TV Info

Real Madrid will look to continue their unbeaten start to the 2016-17 La Liga season on Saturday, as they host Deportivo La Coruna in Week 15.

Los Blancos remained the only team yet to lose in Spain's top division with a 1-1 draw against rivals Barcelona in El Clasico last week, and lowly Deportivo are not expected to break their impressive streak.

The Galicians ended a winless streak in Week 14, beating Real Sociedad in shocking fashion, but despite that boost, Madrid are clear favourites entering the contest.

Date: Saturday, December 10

Time: 7:45 p.m. GMT/2:45 p.m. ET

Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain

TV Info: Sky Sports 3 (UK), BeIN Sports (U.S.)

Live Stream: Sky Go, beIN Sports Connect

Team News

Gareth Bale missed out on the UEFA Champions League draw against Borussia Dortmund in midweek and should remain sidelined on Saturday. Casemiro was fit to start, and Toni Kroos made an appearance off the bench to signal his injury issues are over.

For the visitors, Laure and Bruno Gama are question marks, with the two missing out on the win over La Real due to injury. The Galicians have no suspended players.

Predicted Real Madrid XI: Keylor Navas, Dani Carvajal, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Marco Asensio, Isco, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema

Predicted Deportivo XI: Przemyslaw Tyton, Juanfran, Raul Albentosa, Sidnei, Fernando Navarro, Guilherme, Celso Borges, Ryan Babel, Emre Colak, Carles Gil, Florin Andone

Preview

Deportivo have not enjoyed the start to the season the team expected or hoped for and enter Week 15 just one point outside of the relegation zone. The side booked a fantastic result in Week 14, however, beating an in-form Real Sociedad team 5-1.

The win was unexpected, per sportswriter Sid Lowe:

Week 14 was filled with shocks, however, from Granada beating Sevilla to Atletico Madrid drawing Espanyol. The top teams already had one eye on the UEFA Champions League, and with that competition now out of the way until the new year, La Liga will once again become the top priority.

Real dug deep in the 2-2 draw against Dortmund, and there's a good chance manager Zinedine Zidane will opt to rest some of his starters and keep them fresh for the upcoming festive period.

Alex Caparros/Getty Images

One player who didn't feature against BVB and is expected to return is Mateo Kovacic. The Croatia international has been of huge importance in the past few weeks, putting together plenty of fantastic displays in midfield.

Bleacher Report's Karl Matchett is a fan:

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The Croatian wasn't even a first-choice consideration at the beginning of the season, with Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric putting the centre of midfield on lockdown and 4-3-3 the go-to formation.

Injuries to each of the three in turn, however, have given the former Inter Milan man his opportunity—and while he has been impressive and consistent since the beginning of the campaign, Kovacic's last two months have been exceptional.

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If the Croat can keep up the good work against Deportivo, who have been overrun in midfield with some regularity and do a lot of their damage on the break, he may well ensure Zidane doesn't drop him again for key European matches.

Star striker Cristiano Ronaldo endured a disappointing outing against BVB, missing chance after chance, and if Zidane puts him in his starting XI on Saturday, expect him to prove a point against Deportivo.

Final Prediction: Real 4-0 Deportivo