Two-time Copa del Rey winners Deportivo La Coruna are back in Spain's second tier after a tough few decades that included multiple relegations.
Managed by Antonio Hidalgo, who joined in the summer of 2025, the Blue and Whites sit fifth in LaLiga 2, four points off the top, and are very much in the promotion mix. They have won just once in their last six league games, but nine wins, seven draws, and five losses keep them in the hunt. Deportivo come into this Copa del Rey round-of-16 clash after wins over Samano, Sabadell, and Mallorca.
Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, arrive in Galicia after a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana semi-final, a setback that rules out one piece of silverware this season.
