Deportivo La Coruna vs Zaragoza preview - Vazquez sends out warning

Posted Saturday, April 06, 2013 by PA

Deportivo La Coruna coach Fernando Vazquez has warned his side's relegation rivals that the Galician outfit are alive and kicking and ready to save their Primera Division status.

Last season's Segunda Division champions had looked destined for an immediate return to the second tier after last month finding themselves bottom of the standings and nine points adrift of safety.

They still prop up the table now but, after picking up back-to-back wins for the first time this season, things are looking a lot brighter for the northern outfit.

Vazquez's men are now just four points behind 17th-placed Zaragoza, who they face on Saturday, and the coach believes his side are on the mend.

"We have come out of the emergency room, we are back on our feet and they've taken our additional oxygen away from us, we can now breathe by ourselves," he told reporters.

"We've got a bit of air, and although we are the last cyclist in the peloton, we are back on track and full of energy."

The coach was confident his team could build on their last two victories when they host Zaragoza, but demanded an exemplary attitude from his players.

"Above all I want my players to approach the game well, be aggressive, concentrated, intelligent, play with intensity and to play for each other. If we do that and we have our fans behind us, I'm sure we'll have a wave of energy to beat Zaragoza," he said.

Zaragoza are without a league win in 2013 but coach Manuel Jimenez hopes his side can take strength from drawing with Real Madrid last weekend and produce another strong performance against Deportivo - but with the important difference of taking all three points this time.

He said: "No-one thought that we would get a point against Madrid but in the end we deserved to win.

"It's important for us to beat Deportivo to help our goal difference, to get the three points and to give ourselves a cushion above the relegation zone that will ease our nerves."

Zaragoza will be without midfielder Apono, who pulled out of training on Friday with muscle problems.

Deportivo, meanwhile, have been boosted by the news that defender Manuel Pablo and forward Pizzi have been declared fit after recovering from injuries sustained during the week.