Carlo Ancelotti needs to be at the peak of his coaching prowess when Real Madrid travel to Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica on Thursday night for what promises to be a hotly contested Copa del Rey confrontation. The Santiago Bernabeu giants haven’t won any of their last three rubbers; having fallen 1-2 to Quique Setien’s Yellow Submarine on January 7, 2023 in Liga Santander, before succumbing to Barcelona 1-3 in last Sunday’s Spanish Super Cup final.
Villarreal are widely regarded as Real’s nemesis, with the reigning Primera Liga and European champions winless in their last five trips to the Estadio de la Ceramica. Los Blancos fans are bracing themselves for edge of the seat football as they are aware Real Madrid have managed to subdue the 2021/22 Europa League winners in just three of their last ten encounters in all competitions.
Imanol Alguacil’s Real Sociedad get Spanish Cup proceedings underway when they host Real Mallorca on Tuesday night in one of four all La Liga encounters. Sociedad are flying high in Spain’s top flight where they currently occupy third place, just six points behind division pacesetters Barcelona. The two sides go into the game on the back of morale boosting victories. Sociedad were comfortable 3-1 winners over Athletic Bilbao in the Basque country derby whereas Espanyol prevailed 2-1 at Getafe.
Tuesday’s other game witnesses Jorge Sampaoli’s Sevilla travel to lower division Deportivo Alaves before Real Betis lock horns with Osasuna on Wednesday night. Betis begin the match up as slight favourites given the considerable firepower available to coach Manuel Pellegrini. The Estadio Benito Villamarin based side gave a good account of themselves by holding Barcelona to a 2-2 regular time stalemate in the Spanish Super Cup semifinals. Osasuna won’t be a pushover as they warmed up for the cup match by taming Mallorca 1-0 in a La Liga rubber.
Athletic Bilbao will be hoping to display their strong cup credentials when they host Espanyol in Wednesday night’s other all La Liga encounter. Two of Spain’s leading lights meanwhile face tricky trips to lower division opponents. Gennaro Gattuso’s Valencia travel to Sporting Gijon fresh from holding Real Madrid to a 1-1 draw in the Spanish Super Cup semifinals whereas Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid are hoping to fix the profligacy that saw them draw one-all at Almeria when they visit dangerous Levante. Barcelona travel to lowly Ceuta on Thursday night.
TUESDAY
Real Sociedad v Mallorca,
Deportivo Alaves v Sevilla
WEDNESDAY
Sporting Gijon v Valencia,
Athletic Bilbao v Espanyol,
Levante v Atletico Madrid,
Real Betis v Osasuna
THURSDAY
Ceuta v Barcelona,
Villarreal v Real Madrid