Expect La Coruna to line up in their usual 4-2-3-1, a shape that served them well in the second tier. The double pivot will sit deep, screen the back four, and look to spring quick transitions through the wide areas. They will not dominate possession — they do not need to. This is a side built on structure, discipline, and hitting on the break. At Abanca-Riazor, with the crowd behind them, they will press high in bursts and look to force Valencia into mistakes. The full-backs will push on, but the two holding midfielders are the key: they must win the second balls and stop Valencia's runners in the half-spaces.

Valencia, under their current setup, are expected to stick with a 4-4-2. It is a shape that gives them solidity but can leave them narrow. They have quality in the final third — the arrival of Ryunosuke Sato and others has added creativity — but their midfield can be overrun against a team that packs the middle. The wide players will need to track back, because La Coruna will look to exploit the flanks. Set pieces are a real threat for the home side; they are big, physical, and will fancy their chances against a Valencia defence that has looked vulnerable from dead balls. The game state is likely to be tight, cagey, with La Coruna happy to soak up pressure and hit on the counter. Valencia will have the ball, but they will struggle to find a way through.