The fortunes of Deportivo La Coruna have changed considerably in the last twenty five years. In the 1980s the club had been moving between divisions in the Spanish League and was approaching financial disaster. In 1991, the team were finally promoted to the Primera Liga and despite some ups and downs, today Deportivo is considered a big club in Spain and on the European scene.
The club have won the Spanish League (2000), the Copa del Rey (1995 and 2000) and the Supercopa (1995, 2000 and 2002).
In the 2004 UEFA Champions League, Deportivo La Coruna knocked out the previous season’s runners-up, Juventus and then defeated defending champions AC Milan. Eventually, they lost to FC Porto in the semi finals on a 0-1 aggregate score. Depor play their home matches at Estadio Riazor which has a capacity of 34,600.
Famous ex-Deportivo legends include Rivaldo, Bebeto, Sampaio, Sylvain Wiltord and Hadji.
People to Watch: Riki Adrian Juan Carlos Valeron Sergio
Transport Access : Deportivo La Coruna is an easy 20-25 minute drive from two airports: A Coruna and Santiago de Compostela. Both airports are served with direct flights from the UK. Deportivo's training grounds are a ten minute journey from the centre of La Coruna and the Riazor stadium is in the heart of the city.
Out and About: La Coruna is one of the most important towns in the Spanish Autonomous Region of Galicia. Galicia occupies the north eastern corner of the country and neighbours Portugal. The fjord-like coast-line had created estuaries called ‘rias’ and the dense Atlantic, wildlife filled forests characterise this very distinct and beautiful region of Spain. Mild temperatures prevail throughout the year and rainfall is higher than average for Spain, although Summer is generally dry. La Coruna is a busy port on the Atlantic coast and a major distribution point for the region. The Roman Tower of Hercules is to be found in the city - this lighthouse has been in continuous operation for 2000 years. La Coruna is also well-known in the Iberian Peninsula for its characteristic glazed window balconies called galerias. One of Spain’s most visited sites is the Pilgrim city of Santiago de Compostela. The city’s cathedral is the destination of St. James’s Way or ‘Camino de Santiago’. The heart of Santiago made up of typical narrow winding streets steeped in history. Santiago de Compostela is only 20 minutes away from La Coruna.
