Two Struggling Sides, One Saturday Showdown in La Liga

Four losses in their last six. That is the uncomfortable truth Espanyol are sitting with heading into Saturday's La Liga matchweek 12 fixture against Deportivo A Coruña. Five goals scored, nine conceded in that run, and a season record of three wins, two draws and six defeats tells you this is a side still searching for any kind of consistent foothold. That 1-0 win at Villarreal feels like it happened a lifetime ago when you stack it next to losses to Racing Santander and Atlético de Madrid in the same stretch. With 11 points from 11 games and a goal difference of minus one, there is no room for another slip.

Here's the thing though — Deportivo arrive with their own headaches, and they are significant. Aubameyang, who has two goals from two appearances this season and sits among La Liga's top scorers, is out with a meniscus injury. Marc Casadó, their defensive midfielder, is not expected back until January 2027 with a broken shoulder. B. Ede is sidelined with a hamstring problem, and L. Amatucci is also unavailable, leaving Deportivo with just 20 fit players. That is a lot of cover to find for a side that has won only once in their last six, drawing two and losing three, conceding eight and scoring six. Their 2-1 win over Osasuna offers some encouragement, but a 1-0 defeat to Atlético and a 1-1 draw with Levante underline how inconsistent they have been.

For Espanyol, the injury concern is Kike García up front. The striker is out with a muscle injury, so Roberto Fernández — who scored in his only appearance this season — is likely to carry the attacking responsibility alongside Marcos Fernández. M. Dmitrović made seven saves in his sole outing in goal, which tells you something about the defensive pressure this team absorbs on a regular basis. Javier Hernandez, who contributed one assist and two key passes in his only appearance, is also listed as unavailable, which further thins the creative options through the middle. Luismi Cruz leads the creativity for the visitors with four key passes across two appearances, but without Aubameyang ahead of him, finding a finishing option becomes the problem Deportivo's bench will need to solve.

Both sides are coming into this one having won their most recent match — Espanyol at Villarreal, Deportivo against Osasuna — which makes this genuinely difficult to call in terms of momentum. But let's be honest, Deportivo's injury list is the more damaging of the two. Losing your top scorer and two key defensive options at once is not a footnote, it reshapes everything. Espanyol at home, with the crowd behind them and their opponents stretched thin, should edge this. Give me Espanyol to nick it.

Clubs in this story

Deportivo A Coruña Espanyol Atlético de Madrid Racing Santander Villarreal Levante Osasuna