Real Madrid vs Deportivo La Coruna preview - Cuenca hoping to cash in

Deportivo La Coruna winger Isaac Cuenca doubts there will be a better time for his in-form side to face wounded Real Madrid - especially if they can frustrate the European champions early on at the Bernabeu.

Madrid have been forced into a week of introspection following last weekend's 4-0 derby mauling at the hands of Atletico, with club president Florentino Perez having reportedly visited the training ground for 'crisis talks' with the team.

Despite their injury problems, Madrid will be expected to take their frustrations out on Depor - who they thrashed 8-2 in September - this weekend, but Cuenca believes a slow start to the match could see the pressure rise significantly on the league leaders.

He said: "I don't know if there's a good moment to go to the Bernabeu, but the atmosphere is tense, the fans are anxious and if they don't get an early goal they could be jeered.

"It's best to play against them now, because when they are full of confidence they come at you with everything. If they don't do that, there could be nerves."

Cuenca, who moved to the Riazor from Barcelona last summer, was part of the Depor side mauled at home by Madrid at the start of the season, but he has warned Carlo Ancelotti's men that the Galician outfit are a different proposition now.

Since the start of 2015, Depor have lost just one of their six matches - to Barcelona - and their 11-point haul during that run has lifted them up to 11th place, five points clear of the relegation zone.

"Nobody likes to lose 8-2, but Depor have changed a lot. Now we are much stronger," Cuenca added in La Voz de Galicia.

Few, if any, Real players came out of the derby defeat with any credit, but star man Cristiano Ronaldo was castigated in Spain for a disappointing performance on his return from a two-match suspension.

The two-time reigning world footballer of the year then found himself under further fire after pictures of his 30th birthday celebrations on the evening after the derby defeat emerged.

Reports in Spain this week suggested Perez could now be willing to cash in on the superstar forward, who has scored 28 goals and provided nine assists in just 19 league appearances this season.

However, that is definitely not a view shared by Madrid manager Ancelotti, who has described the B£80million man as a unique talent.

"Cristiano is a player with an efficiency that is unique in today's football," Ancelotti told Portuguese sports newspaper A Bola.

"He has an extraordinary talent and he enjoys it with such a professionalism and seriousness that is difficult to find in a player of that level.

"If he continues to feel the passion that he has for what he does, he can continue until who knows when, thanks to his great physique and unique genetics."

Madrid, who resume their Champions League campaign against Schalke next week, saw Pepe return to squad training on Thursday after injury but Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos, Sami Khedira, James Rodriguez and Fabio Coentrao were absent.

Depor, meanwhile, are set to be without Diogo Salomao, Sidnei Rechel, Jose Rodriguez, Luis Farina and Helder Postiga for various reasons.