La Liga 2017/18: Deportivo 0-3 Real Madrid, 5 Talking Points

#3 Pepe Mel could do some real damage with Lucas Perez

Deportivo de La Coruna v Real Madrid CF - La Liga

Within minutes of the game, Deportivo's players had laid into their Real Madrid counterparts with a couple of crunching tackles. This was no surprise - Pepe Mel has forged a side in his own image, and they're willing to graft and fight for every inch on the football pitch.

In fact, the 3-0 scoreline was a bit harsh on Depor, who threatened Madrid time and again, only for Florin Andone to undo all his hard work with a couple of glaring misses, especially when one-on-one with Keylor Navas. He compounded his misery by missing a penalty late in the game as well.

However, if the rumours are true and Lucas Perez is close to a return, then Deportivo can look forward to a season that is more than a scrap for survival. They have assembled their best team in a decade, and the combination of Lucas Perez profiting off the hard-working Andone could torment many a Liga defence.