Deportivo face Lugo in third preseason friendly, Aubameyang debuts

Deportivo showed its first claws at the Vero Boquete de San Lázaro against Compostela and revealed both key strengths and areas for improvement in the goalless draw against Real Oviedo at the Carlos Tartiere. The team is now stepping up the pace of preseason this week, embarking on a whirlwind of friendlies that will force it to alternate training sessions with full-scale rehearsals to build fitness and confirm the level of Antonio Hidalgo's project before taking the stage in the First Division.

The Herculino side faces its third summer friendly this Wednesday (7:30 PM), taking on Lugo at the A Magdalena stadium in Vilalba. This presents a new opportunity to fit the pieces together and continue fine-tuning before starting the European tour this Saturday (6:30 PM) in Hamburg against St. Pauli.

Hidalgo's Testing Ground

Antonio Hidalgo has already begun to reveal the general outlines of a Deportivo side that still does not have all its pieces in place after the first two friendlies of the summer. Some players are yet to arrive, others need to head for the exit ramp, and several remain on the sidelines, waiting to recover and become key again in the plans of the Canovelles coach.

This Monday, Miguel Loureiro took part in part of the session with the rest of the group, as did David Mella last week. Both continue with their specific recovery plans. Yeremay is in the same situation, with an eye on the trip to Germany and Italy. Also working on the sidelines were:

• Bright Ede (adductor discomfort)
• Altimira (knee contusion suffered in Oviedo)
• Jonathan Asp Jensen
• Fabril player Noé Carrillo

Key Performances and Partnerships

One hundred minutes spread over two matches were enough for Mario Soriano and Lorenzo Amatucci to hit it off in Deportivo's engine room. There were cheers for Teun Gijselhart, who scored on his debut in Santiago and had little involvement in the last half hour in the Asturian capital.

Bil Nsongo, Zakaria Eddahchouri, and especially Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are again looking for their place at the spearhead. The Gabonese striker, presented this Tuesday as a new Deportivo player, already showed glimpses of his virtues in the 60 minutes he played in Oviedo. His stride and speed were the ideal calling card for a striker who, at 37 years old, also formed a good partnership with Bil up front. He only lacked a goal—something he aims to rectify in his second match in blue and white.

Goalkeeper Rotation and Defensive Line

The rotation in goal, after giving Parreño the full 90 minutes at the Tartiere, is another incentive. Ahead of the goalkeeper—whether it be Germán, Ferllo, or Leo Román—will be a defensive line still awaiting reinforcements and continuing to draw on academy players like Xabi Campos, Samu, or Quique Teijo, who was the last to debut. Others like Kevin or Adrián Guerrero are also vying to convince Hidalgo in more advanced positions and will make the most of every minute they get in preseason.

Opposition: Lugo

Opposite, Deportivo will face a Lugo side with a familiar face on the bench. Borja Fernández manages the albivermello team after securing UD Ourense's promotion to Primera RFEF last season. The Lugo team comes off a draw against Celta's B team in their first summer friendly. Former Fabril player Marc Martínez will also be in goal. They will be Fabril's league rivals. In fact, they will face the blue and white B team next Saturday, August 1st (7:00 PM) in Pol.

Source: La Opinión A Coruña