Deportivo travel to wounded Barca

SaturdayRayo vs Espanyol17:00 Valladolid vs Malaga 19:00 Barcelona vs Deportivo21:00 Mallorca vs Sevilla23:00Sunday Athletic vs Valencia13:00 Levante vs Getafe 18:00 Celta Vigo vs Real Madrid20:00 Atletico vs R Sociedad22:00 MondayR Zaragoza vs Granada21:30 MADRID – The last thing struggling Deportivo La Coruna need with three crucial matches against fellow relegation candidates looming is a trip to face wounded La Liga leaders Barcelona on Saturday.The cash-strapped Galician club, one of the most successful sides in Europe around a decade ago, are rooted to the bottom of the table and apparently doomed to go straight back down after spending the 2011-12 season in the second division.Forced to seek protection from their creditors at the turn of the year, Depor’s three games after meeting Barca are against Celta Vigo, Real Mallorca and Real Zaragoza and will be key to determining their fate.Long-serving midfielder Juan Carlos Valeron, who has been at the club since 2000, admitted that facing Barca was “a pain” but said it could also be seen as an opportunity to lift morale for the remaining 12 matches. “The important phase will come afterwards but in terms of confidence getting a result in Barcelona would be incredible,” the 37-year-old told a news conference on Wednesday.Barca will be itching to get back to winning ways after a miserable week in which arch rivals Real Madrid knocked them out of the King’s Cup and beat them in the league.