Real Madrid and Barcelona begin their Copa del Rey campaigns in the round of 32, facing Second RFEF clubs Arandina and Barbastro respectively. The ties open with Atlético de Madrid taking on Lugo in Lugo, while a Basque derby between Eibar and Athletic Club Bilbao sits alongside a Tenerife vs UD Las Palmas clash on the Canary Islands. The calendar promises an electric knockout weekend as teams chase a historic cup run.
Juan Carlos Higuero stadium in Aranda de Duero is set to host a true football fiesta, with more than ten thousand spectators expected after capacity upgrades for this high-stakes match. While Real Madrid arrive as league leaders and current Cup holders, the path to glory is never easy, especially on smaller venues where the atmosphere can swing matches unexpectedly in recent seasons.
Barcelona, the most decorated cup side with 31 titles, travels to Huesca to face Barbastro. The Catalan giants approach the tie with focus, mindful that any slip could fuel doubts already voiced in other competitions, and they aim to protect their proud cup legacy by advancing smoothly.
Atlético de Madrid and Osasuna are also in the field for the round, with the added twist that the winner earns a place in the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia next week.
Atlético de Madrid will meet Lugo at Anxo Carro. The side has endured a dry spell in Primera RFEF, without a league win in three matches, but hopes to surprise the Madrid giants and build confidence. Cast into the spotlight, Castellón, the leader of their group in the same competition tier, aims to celebrate at home by beating Osasuna and lifting spirits among their fans.
Málaga and Unionistas de Salamanca, from Primera RFEF, host Real Sociedad and Villarreal in their home venues. Both teams carry ambition to progress in the Copa del Rey and erase uneven league form by turning good performances into a credible cup run.
Also drawing attention is the Canary Islands derby between Tenerife and UD Las Palmas, a fixture that has become a staple of recent cup campaigns. The Basque clash between Eibar and Athletic Club Bilbao is scheduled to occur for the fourth time in Copa del Rey history (1979/1980, 1984/1985 and 2012/2013 were previous editions). Bilbao won the early duels, but Eibar grabbed a point in the most recent encounter, adding spice to this edition.
Sevilla enters a crucial moment in the cup, as recent league struggles weigh heavy. After beating Quintanar and Atlético Astorga, they face Racing de Ferrol, a squad thriving in direct promotion battles in the Segunda Division and coached by Cristóbal Parralo. Notably, Sevilla and Racing Ferrol collided in the Montjuïc cup final back in 1939, a historic memory that lingers in the club’s narrative.
Girona sits second in the league and carries high hopes into the cup. Their new opponent is Elche from the Segunda Division, a team that Girona’s coach Miguel Ángel Sánchez, known as Míchel, insists will present a competitive lineup despite rotations designed to balance fixtures.
Cartagena and Amorebieta, both near the bottom of the second division, host Valencia and Celta Vigo respectively, as they navigate tough league form while trying to make a memorable cup run. Mallorca heads to El Plantío to face Real Burgos with a mission to survive in a competition where they have not won a Primera match in 16 years. Rayo Vallecano arrive buoyed by a derby victory in the league and hope to sustain momentum in this knockout stage, with ambitions to advance further in the tournament that has brought them joy in recent editions.
The only match featuring First Division teams pits Alavés against Real Betis at Mendizorroza, promising an intriguing clash as the cup competition intensifies.
Program schedule:
• Saturday
16:00 Lugo – Atletico Madrid
17:00 Espanyol – Getafe
18:00 Elche – Girona
19:00 Huesca – Rayo Vallecano
20:00 Alaves – Betis
21:30 Arandina – Real Madrid
• Sunday
12:00 Amorebieta – Celta Vigo and Real Burgos – Mallorca
16:00 Racing Ferrol – Sevilla and Castellón – Osasuna
18:00 Salamanca Unionists – Villarreal
19:00 Cartagena – Valencia and Eibar – Athletic Club de Bilbao
21:00 Barbastro – Barcelona, Malaga – Real Sociedad and Tenerife – UD Las Palmas.