OMNISPORT

Jackson Martinez will look to continue his improved goalscoring form at Atletico Madrid on Friday when they travel to Deportivo La Coruna in La Liga.

The Colombia international striker took time to adapt to life in Spain following his move from Porto during the close season, but has found his feet in recent matches and has scored twice from as many games in all competitions.

Should he continue that form in Atletico's next league encounter it could help fire Diego Simeone's side to the top of the table, moving them above Barcelona and Real Madrid, who do not play until Saturday.

"We have a lot of good players and they are adapting better and better," said midfielder Tiago. "That gives us life as a team.

"Of course, Jackson Martinez scoring, that always helps a striker. But he works. 

"That's always been the same and even though he hasn't scored, he's worked a lot."

Atletico travel to La Coruna on the back of three successive wins in all competitions and their head-to-head record with Deportivo will give them plenty of hope.

They are unbeaten in their last seven meetings with the Galician club, Atletico having taken all three points in six of those matches.

Deportivo are a different prospect this season, though, and already have 13 points from their opening nine games, leaving them sixth in the table.

Lucas Perez has been the shining light for Deportivo in their impressive start, the 27-year-old only one goal short of matching his tally of six for the entire 2014-15 campaign.

Victor Sanchez's side have surprised many after they survived on the final day of last season.

However, their positive start has begun to stutter in recent weeks with no win in their last three matches

They slipped to only their second defeat of the campaign against Malaga last weekend, but morale remains high within the squad.

"We have always had our feet on the ground," said midfielder Pedro Mosquera. "We know what we have to do, we know it will not be easy this season. At the moment we are doing very well. We are in sixth place but we know that teams are close to us.

"We have played nine games and lost only two. It's a good balance.

"On Friday we face Atletico Madrid, they play with a lot of intensity so we will have to put in the same intensity or more than them [to win]."

Deportivo will be without backup goalkeeper Manu Fernandez for the encounter on Friday, while Atletico continue to miss Lucas Vietto as he recovers from appendix surgery.