Antonio Hidalgo reshapes Deportivo’s midfield after Aubameyang and Casadó setbacks

Deportivo, coached by Antonio Hidalgo, has started reshaping its midfield after the Betis draw left them exposed: Marc Casadó was already dealing with a collarbone issue and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Zakaria Eddahchouri later suffered injuries. With the international break helping, Hidalgo has used friendlies against Penafiel and Porto to build a new forward-leaning setup.

System switches in midfield

Because those long-term absences have piled up, Deportivo has moved away from the 4-4-2 and the “diamond” Hidalgo had been using in the middle with Amatucci, Casadó, Mario Soriano and Luismi. The plan now points towards a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-1-4-1, including converting the right point of the diamond into a right-back in defence.

New roles and match trials

With Bil Nsongo away on Cameroon duty, Kevin Sánchez stepped in as an emergency nine, expected to be mainly a bench option until the gabonese or the dutch striker returns. Yeremay Hernández is viewed as a key piece: against Porto he swapped positions with Asp-Jensen, and on Friday they sometimes occupied the same zones—while their styles differ, with Yeremay more associative and Asp-Jensen focused on finishing.

Riki and Amatucci’s limited availability has also pushed Villares and Mario Soriano towards a more defined double-pivot, while Noé Carrillo’s return vs Porto brought the kind of spark that can help Deportivo structure a safer 4-1-4-1. Defensively, José María Giménez remains the constant centre-back, with more stability on the flanks from Ximo Navarro and Giacomo Quagliata, depending on how Hidalgo sets the pressing and line heights.