French international forward David Trezeguet is restored to Juve's starting line-up after sitting out their weekend home win over Bologna FC. However, defenders Igor Tudor and Enzo Maresca are both out, the latter due to miss both legs with a back strain; Stephen Appiah deputises.
Depor coach, Javier Irureta has kept faith with Alberto Luque despite their training ground bust-up earlier in the week, and the 24-year-old starts with Diego Tristán up front. Club joint top scorer (with Luque on seven goals), Uruguayan Walter Pandiani, is waiting on the sidelines.
Juve notched up their 40th UEFA Champions League win on Matchday 6 with a 7-0 hammering of Olympiacos CFP - the greatest winning margin in the tournament's history. But with their hopes of winning the Scudetto suffering a major blow after the 4-0 defeat to AS Roma two weeks ago, tonight's game takes on extra significance for the visitors if they are not to end the season empty handed.
Depor may have played a part in the remarkable 8-3 defeat at AS Monaco FC on Matchday 4, but goals have otherwise been in relatively short supply at both ends. While first-choice strike partnership Diego Tristàn and Alberto Luque have struggled to find the target often enough for a team with title aspirations, their defence has made up the difference; not only are they the meanest in La Liga, but they have gone 483 minutes without conceding a UEFA Champions League goal at the Riazor. The last scorers? Juventus in last season's second group phase.
Juve eliminated the Galicians from last season's competition at the second group phase with an injury-time goal in Turin. Indeed, the two sides have met six times previously in UEFA competition, each winning once and with four ending in draws.
Welcome to the Estadio Municipal de Riazor where RC Deportivo La Coruña will be looking for revenge over Juventus FC in the UEFA Champions League first knock-out round first leg.
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