Although Deportivo La Coruña was no longer the Super Depor that had once swept through the Europa, Riazor Stadium remained a nightmare for La Liga teams, and Real Madrid was especially haunted by the place.
Because of the Champions League Group Stage match in midweek, along with the team's packed recent schedule, Ancelotti rotated the lineup for this match.
Courtois was in goal. The back line consisted of Marcelo, Vermaelen, Varane, and Danilo. Illarramendi sat deep in midfield, with Toni Kroos and De Bruyne in the center. The front three were Hazard, Suarez, and Di Maria.
Right from the start, Real Madrid seized control, launching attack after attack at Deportivo's penalty area. Yet they repeatedly squandered their chances. Especially in the sixteenth minute, when Toni Kroos headed the ball across, Suarez shot under pressure from several defenders inside the box, and after his effort was blocked, Di Maria followed up with a shot that the opposing goalkeeper brilliantly saved.
But in the twenty-ninth minute, Danilo crossed from the right, and Suarez headed the ball home to open the scoring for Real Madrid.
Only seven minutes later, Suarez drifted to the left and played the ball back. Hazard lashed a left-footed shot into the net, doubling Real Madrid's lead.
With a two-goal advantage, Real Madrid began playing somewhat more casually and patiently.
What they did not expect was that, just before the end of the first half, Deportivo suddenly intensified their pressing in midfield and up front. Then, in the forty-first minute, Luisinho sent in a cross, and former Barcelona player Cuenca headed the ball onto Varane's hand. The referee awarded a handball inside the penalty area, along with a yellow card and a penalty.
Deportivo converted the penalty cleanly, changing the score to 1–2.
After the teams switched ends for