RC Deportivo La Coruna are gearing up for the start of the Spanish season and an assault on the European places after three sucessive top-ten finishes.
The Spanish side, who visit the Boleyn Ground for the high-profile SBOBET Cup this Saturday, are tipped to be top-six contenders when La Liga starts on 28 August with the likes of Spanish prodigy Adrian in attack and Mexico superstar Andres Guardado on the wing.
Managed by Miguel Angel Lotina, Deportivo fans dream of emulating their title success of 1999/00 which turned them into regular UEFA Champions League contenders. Hammers fans will well remember Lionel Scaloni and Diego Tristan, who both made their names with Depor before heading to the Boleyn in the twilight of their careers.
Another name that looms large from their run of five UEFA Champions League qualifications is Juan Carlos Valeron, a sublime passer of the ball who was capped 45 times by Spain between 1998 and 2005. Still a major figure, he and the rest of his Depor team-mates promise to give the Hammers their toughest test of a pre-season which has so far produced five wins from five.
HAMMERS v DEPORTIVO - GET YOUR SBOBET CUP TICKETS TODAY
A bumper Boleyn crowd is expected on Saturday, so fans should make sure of their seat today. With a sunny forecast for east London this weekend, it promises to be a great day for all the family.
Scott Parker, the reigning Hammer of the Year, is expecting a challenging afternoon. "Deportivo are a good club with good players and I am sure they will bring a very useful team to play against us," he said.
"It will be a tough game, as it is whenever you come up with a top team from a country like Spain. They will be very good technically and will keep the ball well, so it is going to be a good workout for us a week ahead of the start of the new season.
"A game like this one will let us know exactly where we are at that stage and also tell us what we need to improve on to be ready for the Premier League."
Tickets for the eagerly-awaited friendly are selling well, with advance adult prices starting as low as £10 for season ticket holders, £13 for Academy members and £16 for non-members. All under-16 tickets priced at just £5.