Deportivo – Málaga match preview

The Malaguistas, 4^th with 56 points in the promotion playoff spots, visit a Coruña team currently in 2^nd place with 59 points, in a direct promotion position.

Refereeing is Dámaso Arcediano from Castilla-La Mancha, assisted on VAR by Iván Caparrós from Valencia.

Players in common RC Deportivo-Málaga CF

Yosu, Alberto Luque, Juan Rodríguez, Saúl, Schürrer, Munúa, Adrián López, Rubén, Luis Alberto, Albentosa, Borja Bastón, Mamadou Koné, José Rodríguez, Hugo Vallejo, Keko Gontán, Diego Rolan, Rubén Castro, Juanfran Moreno, Dioni and Montero

(*) Senel, who played for Málaga CF ‘B’, along with Rafa de Vicente and Kuki Zalazar, former Atlético Malagueño players, all featured for RC Deportivo

Coaches in common RC Deportivo-Málaga CF

Víctor Sánchez del Amo, Natxo González and Pepe Mel

(*) Former Málaga CF coach Sergio Pellicer managed Deportivo’s reserve team in the 2018/19 season

(**) Antonio Hidalgo, coach of RC Deportivo, played for Málaga CF between 2005 and 2008.

Players in common RC Deportivo-CD Málaga

Lezama, Elzo, Gamonal, Bazán, Chao, Muñiz, Carrillo, Juan, Gento II, Carlos Torres, Ruiz, Mané, Albis, Belman and Kirov

Coaches in common RC Deportivo-CD Málaga

Helenio Herrera, Iturraspe, Otxoa and Pons

Players who debuted for Málaga CF against RC Deportivo at Riazor

•    Josemi (RC Deportivo 4-0 Málaga CF, 17/06/2001)
•    Obinna (RC Deportivo 1-0 Málaga CF, 13/09/2009)
•    ‘Memo’ Ochoa (RC Deportivo 1-1 Málaga CF, 03/12/2014)

Match info

• Dani Lorenzo reached 100 official matches with Málaga CF last Wednesday in Andorra. In the current squad, the next player closest to reaching 100 appearances is the captain, Ramón, who has worn the Blue and White shirt 96 times.

• Alfonso Herrero is the only Málaga CF player to have played all 2,970 minutes of the league season. The goalkeeper from Toledo ranks second in total saves so far this season (108), only behind UD Almería’s keeper, Andrés Fernández.

• Chupe is Málaga’s top scorer in LALIGA HYPERMOTION with 16 goals, while Yeremay, with 10, is the home side’s leading scorer.

• David Larrubia, Málaga’s second ‘pichichi’ with 9 goals, is the best dribbler in the Second Division, with a notable lead over Deportivo’s winger Yeremay, who ranks second in this statistical category.

• Izan Merino, Dani Lorenzo, David Larrubia, and Joaquín Muñoz are the Malaguistas one booking away from suspension, each with four accumulated yellow cards.

• Away from home in the league, Málaga CF have played 16 matches, recording six wins, two draws, and eight losses (20 points), with 20 goals scored and 21 conceded.

• RC Deportivo, in 16 home matches, have obtained eight wins, four draws, and four losses (28 points), scoring 22 goals and conceding 16.

Stats and facts

• This will be the fourth time RC Deportivo and Málaga CF face each other at Riazor in the Second Division. The previous encounters include two draws (1-1 in 2018/19 and 0-0 in 2024/25) and one Malaguista victory in 2019/20, a 0-2 win with goals from Mikel Villanueva and Sadiku.

• In addition, the two teams have played one another on 18 other occasions: 15 in the First Division, one in the promotion playoff to the elite, and two in the Copa del Rey. Málaga’s overall record against Deportivo in Galicia across all 21 encounters stands at two wins, five draws, and 14 losses, with 16 goals scored and 37 conceded.

• RC Deportivo de La Coruña is the team Málaga CF has faced most often in official matches. In total, 43 encounters, with 11 wins for Málaga, 15 draws, and 17 wins for Deportivo. In the last five matches, Málaga have recorded three wins and two draws, scoring seven goals and conceding just one.

• The last CD Málaga victory at Riazor was in the 1981/82 season. Antonio Benítez’s Málaga defeated Deportivo 0-2, with goals from José Luis (own goal) and Fernando Rodríguez, on Second Division matchday 9. It was a historic year that ended with the penultimate promotion to the top flight for the now-defunct Málaga club.

• In the nine previous seasons in the Second Division, on matchday 34, Málaga CF obtained two wins, three draws, and four losses.