Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Match Preview
A classic Spanish rivalry is reignited at the Riazor on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, as Deportivo La Coruña host Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey Round of 16. The hosts, currently battling in the Segunda División, proved their cup pedigree by eliminating Mallorca (1–0) in the previous round. However, they come into this after a grueling 1–1 draw against Las Palmas on Saturday. Atlético Madrid arrive in Galicia looking for redemption. Diego Simeone’s side suffered a painful 1–2 defeat to arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Supercopa de España on Friday. With the league title race looking difficult, the Copa del Rey represents Atleti’s best chance for silverware, but they face a Riazor crowd dreaming of the glory days.
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Match Info
- Competition: Copa del Rey (Round of 16)
- Venue: Estadio Municipal de Riazor, La Coruña (Capacity: 32,490)
- Date: Wednesday, 14 January 2026
- Kickoff: 21:00 CET | 20:00 GMT | 15:00 ET
- Referee: TBC (RFEF Appointment)
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Match Stakes
Deportivo La Coruña (Segunda División):
- Win → A monumental upset; reaching the Quarter-finals would evoke memories of the “Super Depor” era.
- Loss → Exit with heads held high; focus shifts entirely to promotion from Segunda.
Atlético Madrid (La Liga):
- Win → Advances to the Quarter-finals; steadies the ship after the Supercopa loss.
- Loss → A crisis result; knocked out of two competitions in one week would heap pressure on Simeone.
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Team News
Deportivo La Coruña:
- Escudero S. — Out (Muscle Injury – Experience Missing at LB)
- Navarro X. — Out (Muscle Injury)
- Bachmann D. — Out (Injury)
- Rotation: Having played just 4 days ago in the league, manager Óscar Gilsanz (or current boss) must balance fatigue. Expect Lucas Pérez to lead the line for his hometown club in this special fixture.
Atlético Madrid:
- Lenglet C. — Out (Knee Injury)
- Gonzalez N. — Out (Muscle Injury – Midfield Blow)
- Barrios P. — Questionable (Muscle Injury)
- Squad Depth: Simeone will likely rotate but keep a strong spine. Juan Musso should start in goal for the cup, with Alexander Sørloth or Julian Alvarez potentially leading the attack to break down Depor’s low block.
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Team Form (Last 5 Matches)
Deportivo La Coruña
- 10/01 — 1–1 vs Las Palmas (Segunda)
- 05/01 — 2–2 vs Cádiz (Segunda)
- 20/12 — 0–1 vs Andorra (Segunda)
- 16/12 — 1–0 vs Mallorca (Copa del Rey)
- 14/12 — 0–3 vs Real Sociedad B (Segunda)
Atlético Madrid
- 09/01 — 1–2 vs Real Madrid (Supercopa)
- 05/01 — 1–1 vs Real Sociedad (La Liga)
- 21/12 — 3–0 vs Girona (La Liga)
- 17/12 — 3–2 vs Baleares (Copa del Rey)
- 13/12 — 2–1 vs Valencia (La Liga)
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Head-to-Head (Last 5 Meetings)
- 02/04/2018 — Atlético Madrid 1–0 Deportivo (La Liga)
- 04/11/2017 — Deportivo 0–1 Atlético Madrid (La Liga)
- 03/03/2017 — Deportivo 1–1 Atlético Madrid (La Liga)
- 25/09/2016 — Atlético Madrid 1–0 Deportivo (La Liga)
- 13/03/2016 — Atlético Madrid 3–0 Deportivo (La Liga)
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Playing XI (Predicted Lineups)
Deportivo La Coruña (4-2-3-1)
Parreño; Petxarroman, Pablo Vazquez, Barcia, Obrador; Villares, Mfulu; Mella, Lucas Pérez, Yeremay; Barbero
Atlético Madrid (3-5-2)
Musso; Azpilicueta, Witsel, Giménez; Molina, Gallagher, Koke, De Paul, Lino; Griezmann, Sørloth
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Impact Bench
Deportivo: Bouldini (Physical threat), Davo (Pace)
Atlético Madrid: Alvarez (World-class energy), Correa (Super-sub specialist)
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Tactical Analysis
Deportivo La Coruña
At Riazor, Depor will look to absorb pressure and hit Atleti on the break using the youthful pace of David Mella and Yeremay on the wings. They were disciplined against Mallorca (1-0 win) and will need a similar defensive masterclass here. Set-pieces delivered by Lucas Pérez will be their best route to goal.
Atlético Madrid
Simeone’s side struggled defensively against Real Madrid (conceding 2) and Baleares (conceding 2). They must tighten up at the back. Expect Atleti to dominate possession but struggle to find space. They will look to utilize Samuel Lino on the left to stretch Depor’s defense and feed crosses into Sørloth. The key will be scoring early to silence the raucous home crowd.
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Key Battles
- Lucas Pérez vs Witsel — The wily veteran striker against the converted center-back.
- Yeremay vs Molina — Depor’s dribbling wizard vs Atleti’s aggressive wing-back.
- Gallagher vs Villares — A battle of stamina and pressing in the engine room.
- Musso vs Set-Pieces — Atleti’s cup keeper must command his box against Depor’s aerial threats.
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Spotlight Players
Deportivo La Coruña — Yeremay Hernández
The young winger is the spark for this team. His ability to beat players 1v1 is Depor’s “X-Factor.” If he has a good game, an upset is possible.
Atlético Madrid — Conor Gallagher
With Barrios doubtful and Nico Gonzalez out, the Englishman’s energy is vital. He needs to break up Depor’s counters and arrive late in the box to provide a goal threat.
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Prediction
Deportivo La Coruña 0–1 Atlético Madrid
This has all the makings of a classic, gritty cup tie. Deportivo will fight for every ball, fueled by the Riazor atmosphere. However, Atlético Madrid rarely slip up in these specific types of games under Simeone. Expect a tight, low-scoring affair decided by a single moment of quality—likely from Griezmann or Correa off the bench.
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Betting Insights
- Under 2.5 Goals — High Probability (H2H history is very low scoring).
- Atlético Madrid to Win — Likely, but expect a narrow margin.
- Both Teams to Score — NO.
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — Where to Watch
- Spain: Movistar+ / RTVE
- USA: ESPN+
- International: RFEF TV (Select Regions)
Deportivo La Coruña vs Atlético Madrid — FAQs
Q: When is the Deportivo vs Atletico match?
A: The match is expected to be played on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, at 21:00 CET.
Q: Is Antoine Griezmann playing?
A: He is available and likely to feature, possibly off the bench if Simeone rotates.
Q: Who won the last meeting?
A: Atlético Madrid won 1–0 in La Liga back in April 2018.
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