- Deportivo have won zero, drawn two and lost three of their last five LaLiga 2026/2027 matches
- Espanyol have won once, drawn once and lost three of their last five in all competitions
- Espanyol are on a run of one win, one draw and three defeats from five
Deportivo not in best form
The odds for Saturday's LaLiga 2026-2027 clash between Espanyol and Deportivo A Coruna are 11/5 with the visitors coming into the game in poor form. Dépor have won none, drawn two and lost three of their last five matches, which is a concerning statistic for Antonio Hidalgo's side who have only been in charge since 1st July 2025.
Dépor are a structure-first side who have been well drilled to play a tight, compact game, using disciplined pressing, wide running from their wing-backs and quick transitions into a focal striker. The blueprint is good for the better part of a season, but can wear thin if results are not there and Deportivo have been looking a little leggy of late.
They did earn a 1-1 home draw with Levante and then played fairly well for a 1-0 away defeat to Atletico Madrid in their two most recent LaLiga fixtures, which is just about what Dépor need to do against any of the division's bigger clubs - stay in the contest. They may not be quite good enough to beat Espanyol, but are certainly a threat to get something from the game.
Espanyol’s shape-shifting system can cause problems
Espanyol have been erratic since Sergio Garcia took over as head coach on 29th October 2026, so much so that he has not yet been able to put a finger on the kind of team he has at his disposal. In truth, Pericos have some good players, but they are not quite good enough to play Garcia's structured counter-pressing system with the fluency it requires and he is probably struggling to find the right balance.
Espanyol's match-day system is a shape-shifting one that allows them to overload the flanks and press in transition, but which can switch to a back-five block and sit when the need arises. Javi Hernandez has been the most creative spark for them, providing four assists in seven LaLiga 2026/2027 games, but Roberto Fernandez is the danger man to watch as the top scorer in the team's 2026/2027 LaLiga chart with six in seven.
Espanyol arrive off the back of a crazy week in which they lost in extra-time to third-tier Sestao River Club in the Copa del Rey and then came from a goal down to beat Villarreal 1-0 away in LaLiga. They sit in 12th place on 11 points, one below Dépor who occupy 11th spot, but with only eleven games played.
Stalemate in Spain looks likely
The Pericos have won once, drawn once and lost three of their five home games in LaLiga 2026/2027, conceding seven goals, which is not the best foundation for a side that attempts to control games at RCDE Stadium. Deportivo have won once, drawn twice and lost twice in five away fixtures in the same competition, conceding eight goals, so this looks likely to be a cagey affair with under 2.5 goals at 83/100 a smart alternative to the head-to-head markets in which Espanyol are favourites at 6/5, Dépor are 11/5 and the draw is 23/10.
It may well turn out to be a tight LaLiga dogfight, but Espanyol have a home advantage and a much sharper punch in attack than Deportivo, so we'll take Garcia's side to claim all three points from this one.
