The Bluebirds welcome La Liga's Deportivo La Coruña to Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday (3pm), for their final pre-season fixture ahead of the 2010/11 campaign.
Our visitors, who finished tenth in last season's Spanish Premier League, have had an indifferent pre-season thus far. They began their summer with a 1-0 defeat to Swiss side Young Boys in the first stage of the Uhren Cup pre-season competition, before losing 5-4 on penalties to Dutch side FC Twente after drawing 1-1 in open play.
Their third pre-season fixture was against second tier German side, Union Berlin. After the Spaniards took a commanding 3-0 lead, the Germans pulled Deportivo back to claim what for so long looked like being an unlikely draw.
But despite failing to win thus far this summer, taking 'Los Herculinos' for granted would be foolish. The Spanish side have class in abundance throughout their ranks, Mexican World Cup star Andres Guardado their key figure and most popular name.
Promising talent: Guardado
Veteran Juan Carlos Valerón is another who can turn a game on its head with the flick of a boot, his international pedigree still defying his years. New signings Rubén Pérez, Urreta, Saúl, Michel and Yves Desmarets have been brought into add some strength and quality to the spine of an underachieving team.
Valerón: Inspirational veteran
Deportivo may be struggling to get it right just now, but the Spaniards do have the quality and experience to fight for a top-six place in the 2010/11 campaign. Expect a tough final test for the Bluebirds on Saturday afternoon.
Tickets for Cardiff City v Deportivo La Coruña are still available from the Cardiff City Ticket Office on 0845 345 1400. Alternatively, go to our eticketing page by clicking on the link below:
