Deportivo La Coruna vs Elche Predictions

• Deportivo La Coruna have won seven of their last nine home league games (La Liga 2)
• Elche have lost seven of their last nine away La Liga matches
• Deportivo impressed in a 1-0 friendly defeat to Real Madrid this week

Depor end long La Liga wait

Back in La Liga after an eight-year absence, Deportivo A Coruna — as they are now known — look ready to start with a win against a remodelled Elche side. Depor clinched promotion back to the top flight by finishing second in La Liga 2 last term, but they have brought in some high-profile summer signings.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Angelino, who has joined on loan from Roma, are the two biggest names, but the acquisition of ex-Real Mallorca keeper Leo Roman should also prove shrewd.

Antonio Hidalgo’s side will be champing at the bit after a good pre-season, which ended in a tough 1-0 defeat to Real Madrid on Wednesday in a closely fought match. They had their chances in that one but found Andriy Lunin to be in fop form.

Elche are still a work in progress

Meanwhile, Elche also won their final tune-up game against Toulouse 3-0 with ex-West Ham man Grady Diangana among the scorers. They switched coaches in the summer with Argentine Martin Anselmi arriving after two short, unsuccessful stints at Porto and Botafogo.

The evidence of pre-season suggests they will try to play neat, possession-based football without necessarily creating many chances for the solitary number nine in the squad – Fer Xiquet.

Back Deportivo to win this one and they could be capable of securing a 2-1 victory on home turf. Elche conceded twice in their two previous friendly games but scored in all but one of their preparation matches, continuing a trend from last season.