No wins at the Riazor in the last 17 years for Real Madrid, what are the odds this time?

European Leagues / Dan Fitch / 14 March 2008 / Leave a Comment

Dan "The Betting Man " Fitch previews Real Madrid's vist to Deportivo La Coruna and wonders whether the likes of Robinho will help them overcome their recent nightmarish record at the Riazor

The term 'Déjà vu' is French in origin, having been coined by the French psychic researcher Emile Boirac. This week though I've come to associate the phrase with Spain, due to the eerily reminiscent look of the La Liga table.

Around a month ago I could have sworn that I looked at the top of La Liga and seen that Real Madrid were eight points clear. Then Barca pulled it back to a couple of points and everyone was talking about Madrid bottling it. But take a look at that league table now. The eight point lead has been reclaimed and it again looks as if the title is going to Real. This is getting more repetitive than Eastenders.

On Saturday night Real Madrid travel to relegation threatened Deportivo La Coruna, as they look to tighten their grip around the title. Deportivo though, should prove no pushovers, having found some form of late to rise out of the drop zone.

Real have been able to re-establish their lead at the top of their table, due to the woeful recent form of Barcelona. Without Messi, Barca look a shadow of themselves and are struggling to fit Henry, Eto'o and Ronaldino into the same team. In the meantime Real have won narrowly against Recreativo and Espanyol, without ever looking that convincing. With Madrid out of the Champions League and Barcelona going into the quarter finals, it should be Real that remain the most focused in the run in.

It seems that for the second season in a row, Real will win La Liga due to the failings of others, rather than really playing like champions. Considering that Bernd Schuster was brought in to bring back the flair to a Madrid side that were merely workmanlike under Fabio Capello, there has been little evidence of the flowing football of yesteryear being played at the Bernabeu. Madrid are [1.24] to retain their title and Barcelona an altogether too short [5.4].

Yet at this vital point of the season, Real won't be relishing at trip to Deportivo, a team that are that rare thing for Madrid, a bogey side. Deportivo have been unbeaten at home to Real for the last seventeen years and it was as far back as 2002 when Madrid even earned a point from this fixture.

Deportivo have lost only once in the last seven matches, which included wins over Sevilla and Espanyol. This has seen them climb to sixteenth and hopefully they will be able to overcome their flirt with relegation. It has been sad to see the decline of one of the few sides in recent years which have been able to break the Barca/Real monopoly. It was only back in 2000 when Depor won the league and they finished within the top three in the following four seasons.

Madrid will be without the goal power of Ruud Van Nistelrooy, after he was ruled out, though Fabio Cannavaro and Arjen Robben are both fit enough to be considered. Madrid always look a much weaker side without Van Nistlerooy, as it leaves them without a focal point in attack. I'd be very surprised if this problem wasn't addressed in the summer.

Deportivo are available at [3.9] with Real Madrid [2.22] and the draw [3.35]. Given the terrible record that Madrid have at Deportivo and without Van Nistelrooy, I think Real Madrid are a good price for a lay. The prices of [13] for a 1-0 Deportivo win and [15] for a 2-1 win are also interesting. Will a poor result bring on another case of Déjà vu for Real Madrid?