A draw with bombs. Next week (January 16, 17 and 18) a heart-stopping round of 16 will be played in the Copa del Rey. The ceremony held this Monday at the Las Rozas Football City has seen Atlético and Real Madrid meet in this new tie. It will be the big match of the round of 16, an early final. Although that will be the star match, Unionistas-Barcelona also has great attraction, since Xavi’s team will face the only candidate to become ‘giant killers’ who are still standing. There are also other reunion duels, such as that of Míchel against his Rayo or that of Quique Sánchez Flores against Getafe. This tie will continue to be a single match and will have the presence of VAR for the first time in this edition. Tenerife, the only Second Division representative still standing in the KO tournament, will face Mallorca.
The football greats faced this draw without the grace measures granted by the Federation to those classified for the Spanish Super Cup. The balls of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético and Osasuna were no longer in a VIP hype in which they were guaranteed to face the most modest. The privileges were over, which left the threat that the draw would lead to a Clásico or a derby. And destiny wanted it to be the second option. Real Madrid will continue its title defense against Atlético at the Wanda Metropolitano. They will do so a week after facing each other in the semifinals of the Spanish Super Cup. Which will leave the atmosphere heated for the cup clash. Both teams have met 33 times in the Cup, with Real Madrid winning 15 times and Atlético 9 times.
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Barcelona, if they already suffered in the round of 32 against the modest Barbastro, will not be able to lose their way against Unionistas, their next rival. The most modest team that remains alive and the candy that everyone wanted in this draw. Those from Salamanca have just knocked down Villarreal in a match that had to be resolved in two days (a fuse forced the postponement of extra time and penalties early this Monday afternoon, in turn delaying the draw). While Tenerife, the only representative of the Second Division that achieved a ticket to the round of 16 after eliminating its staunch rival (Las Palmas), will face Mallorca with the dream of playing in the quarterfinals again for the first time since 1996.
The reunion of several coaches with their former teams will also be morbid. This is the case of this season’s revelation club, Girona. Rayo will have to visit Míchel. Getafe-Sevilla will feature the return of Quique Sánchez Flores to the Coliseum, while Benítez’s Celta will meet Valencia again at Mestalla. Osasuna, current runners-up, will host Real Sociedad and Alavés will visit Athletic.
Round of 16 pairings
Unionists – Barcelona
Tenerife – Mallorca
Getafe – Seville
Osasuna – Real Sociedad
Valencia – Celtic
Athletic – Alavés
Atlético – Real Madrid
Girona – Rayo Vallecano
Copa del Rey dates
Eighth: January 16, 17 and 18
Quarters: January 24
Semifinals: first leg on February 7 and return on February 28
Final: April 6
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2024-01-08 18:14:48
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