Deportivo La Coruna will be desperate to start off 2015 with three points when they welcome Athletic Bilbao to the Estadio Municipal de Riazor on Saturday.
It has been a very disappointing season so far for Deportivo and currently sit down near the bottom of La Liga in 17th and are tied on points with Almeria and Granada with just 13, Victor Fernandez’s side have failed to score in five of the last six matches but will be confident in the fact that they have only lost one in the last 11 meetings with Bilbao.
Athletic had improved from their horrid start to the campaign but their form has dropped again before the end of the year going three games without a win and lost their final game of the year 4-1 at home to Atletico Madrid. Ernesto Valverde’s team currently sit 11th in La Liga only six points above their opponents with 19 and with their recent record against Deportivo it will be concern going into this tie.
Deportivo welcome back Luisinho from a one - game suspension aswell as Alberto Lopo who returned to full training this week and is expected to start. They will be without Lucas who is out injured.
Bilbao have Andoni Iraola out with injury and Xabier Etxeita and Guillermo look doubtful for this tie also through injury. Aymeric Laporte and Ander Iturraspe look to return to the starting XI following their return from suspension.