Deportivo La Coruna vs Malaga preview - Fernandez focusing on football

Deportivo La Coruna coach Victor Fernandez believes the best way for the club to get back to normality after the death of fan Francisco 'Jimmy' Romero before last Sunday's match at Atletico Madrid is by beating Malaga.

Depor drew 1-1 with Javier Gracia's side on Wednesday in a Copa del Rey last-32 first-leg match which only attracted 10,000 supporters, but Fernandez is hoping for a better turnout and result for the league meeting on Saturday.

The club have set ticket prices at just one euro in order to encourage fans to attend the game after a sombre week for the club following the death of Romero during a fight between members of Deportivo's Riazor Blues and Atletico's Frente Atletico.

Deportivo have taken the decision to ban the Ultra group from their stadium definitively and also announced they would close the section of the stadium that the Riazor Blues used to occupy for the next two matches.

A chaotic week for the Galician club continued as former president Augusto Lendoiro was removed from his role as ambassador to the Spanish Football League (LFP) for attending Romero's burial.

"We have to play well and win to try and forget all of this," Fernandez told a press conference, quoted by Marca.

"I have been told there has been a massive demand for tickets so the fans are going to come to the game and that's great for us because we need to be stronger."

The coach also believes the league match will be different to the cup tie, owing to the fact the teams are at opposite ends of the league table, with Deportivo 18th and Malaga seventh in the Primera Division.

"They are very close to the Champions League spots and we aren't so the conclusion I make is that we'll see a game nothing like the cup tie," said Fernandez.

"A draw won't do for us in the situation, we want to win and I suppose the same is true for Malaga. The players have an undeniable sense of responsibility and commitment to win the match."

Depor will be looking for their first win in five matches, while Malaga will be seeking to get back to winning ways after successive defeats to Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid.

The Galicians will be without injured midfielders Lucas Perez, Juanfran Moreno and Luis Farina, while Malaga have a total of five players out injured, but no fresh concerns.