Two sides scrapping for points at the opposite ends of the La Liga table meet on Saturday as Atletico Madrid travel to Deportivo La Coruna.
Their positions in the standings are reflected by recent form, with third-placed Atletico unbeaten in eight and relegation-threatened Depor winless in nine.
Deportivo
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Just over a decade ago, it was Deportivo and not Atletico who were one of a couple of sides threatening to break the La Liga duopoly. They even managed to conquer Spain's top division for the first time in 2000.
They also achieved four second-place finishes in the late 90s and early 2000s and, in the 2003-04 season, they pipped Real Madrid to third and reached the Champions League semi-finals.
Two relegations and two promotions later, a lot has changed. Depor again find themselves in a battle to maintain their top-flight status and are only currently out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
Their survival chances look bleaker when their run of nine winless games since February 6 is taken into account, although last weekend's draw with David Moyes's Real Sociedad is widely seen as a point gained.
Depor twice came from behind to hold the Basque outfit at 2-2, demonstrating that character in the camp remains high if not confidence. Getting a result against one of the country's best would be a much-needed boost ahead of their run-in.
However, their home results against Spain's other big boys this season will not be cause for optimism. They were thrashed 4-0 by Barcelona in January and conceded eight to a Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired Real in September.
Recent form: LLDLDD
Atletico
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Diego Simeone's side were up to their usual tricks in midweek as they frustrated Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. Wednesday's 0-0 draw at Vicente Calderon means that an away goal in next week's return leg will make Atletico hard to beat.
It was the seventh meeting between the capital rivals this season, and Atletico are yet to lose any of them. Any of their three previous results at the Bernabeu - 1-1, 2-2 and 1-2 - would be enough to take them through.
Last year's runners-up remain 14-1 outsiders to go one better this time around, but those are healthy odds compared to the 100-1 price that most bookmakers are offering on Atleti to defend their La Liga title.
Although they are unbeaten in eight league games, Madrid have been unable to keep pace with Real and Barcelona ahead of them and find themselves eight points off the summit with seven matches remaining this season.
Instead, Atletico's domestic focus must be on ensuring that they are again in Europe's biggest club competition next season. They head fourth-placed Valencia by a point and are three further clear of Sevilla in fifth.
A 2-2 draw against Malaga last weekend tightened things up. Despite Antoine Griezmann taking his tally to four goals in as many games, Simeone's side could not shake off their hosts as Javi Gracia's battled for a point.
However, recent victories over Cordoba, Getafe and Almeria prove that Atleti have had little trouble putting away bottom-half teams and they will be expecting to come away from the Riazor with the maximum of three.
Recent form: DDWWWD
Recent form (all competitions): WWWWDD
Team News
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Simeone must choose whether to rest players ahead of next weekend's second leg with Real or name his strongest possible side. Either way, Tiago is likely to be recalled in midfield at the expense of Mario Suarez.
Players in line to be rested should Atletico's Argentine coach opt for that path may be Miranda and Arda Turan, both of whom have had their injury problems this season. Jose Gimenez and Saul Niguez would be the ones to benefit in that instance. Fernando Torres is also in contention if Mario Mandzukic is saved for the Bernabeu.
Jan Oblak's good form will see him keep fit-again goalkeeper Miguel Moya on the bench, but there is likely to be a change at left-back where Guilherme Siqueira is expected to make way for the recently favoured Jesus Gamez.
Deportivo boss Victor Sanchez could name an unchanged lineup, with Oriol Riera leading the line and Lucas Perez keeping former Barcelona winger Isaac Cuenca on the bench.
The Spanish forward, on loan at Depor from Greek side PAOK Salonika, is the club's top scorer this season with five league goals.
Deportivo possible starting lineup:
Fabricio; Manuel Pablo, Juanfran, Sidnei, Lopo; Bergantinos, Martinez, Borges; Perez, Cavaleiro, Riera
Atletico possible starting lineup:
Oblak; Juanfran, Giminez, Godin, Gamez; Gabi, Koke, Tiago; Saul, Griezmann, Torres
Head To Head
Manchester City star Sergio Aguero was on the scoresheet the last time that Atletico lost to Depor, with his opening goal in vain in a 2-1 defeat in 2009.
Depor have not even scored against Madrid since and November's 2-0 away reverse was their fifth defeat to none in six meetings.
We say: Deportivo 0-2 Atletico
Both the form book and the league table point to an Atletico win, and their recent record against Depor makes that even more likely. Simeone may rest players ahead of the clash with Real, but the visitors should still have enough.
Joe Fish
