The Galician derby returns to Liga BBVA

Two years on, one of the most passionate derbies around returns to Liga BBVA. RC Celta de Vigo and Deportivo de La Coruña meet again at the Estadio de Balaídos in the fifth round of matches in Spain’s top division.

The home side are undefeated thus far this season and they have looked very good in their last two games against Real Sociedad de Fútbol and Club Atlético de Madrid. The visitors, meanwhile, will be looking to get back on track after their 2-8 hammering by Real Madrid CF last time out.

Team news
Eduardo Berizzo will be without injured Borja Oubiña, but regains Augusto Fernández and youngster Borja Fernández. Also, the home side’s manager has left David Costas, Madinda and Santi Mina out of the squad. Deportivo meanwhile, have a number of injuries, and have lost Juan Domínguez just before the game, and will also be without Pablo Insua, Juan Carlos Real, Diego Seoane, Cezary Wilk, Lucas Pérez, Diogo Salomão, Iago López and Marcos Remeseiro.

View from the dugout
In the build up to the game Eduardo Berizzo spoke up the encounter: "Facing a game like this, the motivation and excitement is at a max. A derby has special connotations, different to the rest of the games and we don’t feel far from out fans and everyone who surrounds us".

Depor boss Víctor Fernández also paid homage to the Galician derby: "It is a different game, a special one and we will play with heart and head. These games are special because form doesn’t count, and everything is even. We go into the match convinced we can get a result".

Predictions from Sportium.es, the official La Liga bookmakers

A derby is much more than a game, and the online bets show the importance of goals in this tie.

The derbies between Celta and Deportivo are synonymous with emotion and spectacle. In eight of the previous 12 Galician derbies, more than two goals have been scored.

Since 2003, 35 goals have been scored in meetings between the sides, averaging almost three goals per game. If there are more than two strikes at Balaídos, the quota is 2.10.