Real Madrid will face Club Polideportivo Cacereño in the Copa del Rey Round of 32 following the draw held at the headquarters of the Real Federación Española de Fútbol. The single-game knockout tie will take place at the Estadio Príncipe Felipe on Tuesday the 3rd of January at 9:00pm CET. It will be broadcast on La1 in Spain. On the first day of sale, Cacereño fans collapsed the registration system to buy tickets. The club subscribers had to withdraw a supplement, with the exception of the holders of the 'Gold card'.
This is set to be the first ever competitive meeting between the two sides and by the great interest shown and the current form of Cacereño, this will surely be a demanding game for Ancelotti’s men. Cacereño made it through to the Copa Round of 32 after getting the better of Córdoba (3-0) and Girona (2-1). The team coached by Julio Cobos for the fourth successive campaign currently lie sixth in Segunda RFEF Group 5 with 25 points. Iván Fernández is their leading marksman with six.
The Legendary Emilio Butragueño, Director of Institutional Relations for Real Madrid, spoke about the CdR game and Madrid’s demanding schedule: “They're on an incredible high. We'll go to Cáceres with the utmost respect and hunger, well aware of what these games are like - it will be tough and hard-fought. We want to win every time we step on the pitch. We'll go there with maximum concentration levels to ensure we win the game and make the next round".
He added: “We have to head into these games with the right mentality and I have no doubt we'll do just that because our players are used to competing. When Real Madrid plays a match we have to make sure our concentration levels are right because we represent millions of people and the expectations are enormous. I'm sure the team will deliver in that sense. It's 90 minutes and we know their fans will be up for it. We have to be aware of the dangers of these matches".
Busy January: “So intense, but not only this month. From here until the end of the season they'll be playing every three days and the demands are going to be huge. We start on the 30th against Valladolid and from that point on, it's going to require maximum performance and focus from every player. They will all have a crucial role to play".
Internationals returning: “This is a unique year. Having the World Cup in the middle of the season is unprecedented and it won't be easy to adjust. We'll see how our players are as they come back, particularly those of them who made it into the latter stages of the tournament. There's a physical element, but the mental aspect is big too because the stress and levels of tension are so high. The last guys will have a few days' rest, but we're back in competitive action right away. It will be a challenge for everyone”.
Below are all of the Copa del Rey Round of 32 fixtures:
Cacereño-Real Madrid
CD Ibiza IP-Real Betis
Intercity-Barcelona
La Nucía-Valencia
UD Logroñés-Real Sociedad
Eldense-Athletic
Pontevedra-Mallorca
Nàstic-Osasuna
Linares-Sevilla
AD Ceuta-Elche
Alavés-Valladolid
Levante-Getafe
Real Oviedo-Atlético de Madrid
Cartagena-Villarreal
Sporting de Gijón-Rayo Vallecano
Espanyol-Celta de Vigo
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