Deportivo vs Nancy

It looked like a banker on paper and so it proved as the Spanish Deportivo beat Nancy 1-0 in the Uefa Cup

Plenty of qualification issues still to be decided in the Uefa Cup with three teams progressing from each group, too many to mention in fact, but my attention has been drawn to Spain and Deportivo’s match with Nancy.

Both still have everything to play for in Group H with Polish side Lech Poznan threatening to overhaul one of the pair and join runaway winners CSKA Moscow but that means the game should be competitive. That’s a crucial factor at this stage of the competition and we should be in for a decent contest.

Deportivo were battered 3-0 in Russia on Matchday 1 but that was no disgrace against an excellent CSKA side and the La Liga outfit are notoriously poor travellers. The fact that they picked up a point last time out versus Lech was a bonus, putting them in the driving seat, and I expect Deportivo to seal a place in the last 32 with a resounding victory.

Odds-on quotes are no surprise but I expected to see Miguel Angel Latina’s men shorter than the best price of 1.73 on offer and I am happy to play at that mark. They have a wonderful record on home soil at the Riazor in all competitions and Nancy are not much cop.

Deportivo are unbeaten in their previous eight European matches in Spain and they have won seven of those games in that time. No visiting side in five ties has found the net, in fact, and I think one goal could be enough.

The superb Juan Carlos Valeron still leads the team magnificently and Deportivo are currently looking upwards towards the top four domestically. A place in the Champions League next season is probably beyond them but they are just two points behind Real Madrid in sixth and have won five of seven fixtures domestically in front of their own fans so far this term.

Deportivo’s only home fixture in Group H so far yielded maximum points when they stuffed whipping boys Feyenoord 3-0 and Nancy should not worry the hosts. The French side have been beaten five times in Ligue 1 already this term on their travels and are currently languishing in 13th place. Pablo Correa’s men finished an impressive fourth last season but have failed to reproduce that sort of form this time around and look up against it.

While Deportivo don’t possess a prolific strike force, Mista and Cristian are likely to be given the nod in attack, their midfield quartet is a formidable one and in Andreas Guardado they have a Mexican winger with a real talent. I’ll be looking forward to watching him in action, along with the likes of captain Sergio, and Deportivo are a confident pick.

They’ve been very well backed in the last 24 hours so be sure to grab the 1.73 while it lasts.