Copa del Rey holders Real Madrid will be aiming to book their spot in the last-16 stage of this season's competition when they take on fourth-tier outfit Arandina on Saturday evening.
Real Madrid are the third-most successful side in the history of this tournament, lifting the trophy on 20 occasions, and they will be bidding to avoid what would be one of the biggest shocks of all time in Spanish football when they tackle Arandina in the round of 32.
Match preview
Arandina are one of just two fourth-tier outfits left in this season's competition, the other being Barbastro, who will take on La Liga champions Barcelona on Sunday.
La Arandina secured promotion from Tercera Federacion to Segunda Federacion last season, but it has been a tough campaign to date, sitting bottom of Group 1 on 10 points, boasting a record of two wins, four draws and 10 losses from their 16 league matches this season.
Considering their form this term, it is hugely surprising that Alex Izquierdo's side are in this stage of the Copa del Rey, and it is comfortably their best-ever performance in the competition.
Arandina beat Real Murica 1-0 in the first round of this season's tournament before claiming a La Liga scalp in the last round, recording a 2-1 victory over Cadiz.
The home side have not been in action since suffering a 3-1 defeat at Marino de Luanco on December 17, and it remains to be seen whether the lengthy break will aid them or hinder them in this contest.
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Real Madrid, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 1-0 win over Mallorca on Wednesday evening, with Antonio Rudiger netting the winner in the 78th minute of the contest.
Los Blancos have now won 15, drawn three and lost one of their 19 league matches this season to top the table with 48 points, but they are only ahead of second-placed Girona on the head-to-head record, with the pair sitting an incredible 10 points above third-placed Atletico Madrid and fourth-placed Barcelona.
Carlo Ancelotti's side have won their last four matches in all competitions, and they will follow this contest with a Spanish Super Cup semi-final against Atletico Madrid next week, ahead of a potential final against Barcelona or Osasuna on January 14.
The Copa del Rey is behind La Liga and the Champions League in terms of the team's list of priorities this season, but Real Madrid are the holders of the trophy, beating Osasuna 2-1 in last year's final to triumph in the competition for the 20th time in their history.
The success was Real Madrid's first in the competition for nine years, meanwhile, with Ancelotti, who has signed a new deal at Bernabeu until June 2026, overseeing their wins in both 2013-14 and 2022-23.
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Team News
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Arandina head coach Izquierdo could name close to the same XI that took to the field for the first whistle against Cadiz in the previous round of the competition.
A 3-4-3 formation should include Haji Ceesay at left-back, with the 25-year-old contributing two goals from that area of the field during the 2023-24 campaign.
There are plenty of options in the final third of the field, but Ayoub El Battioui could potentially be given the nod down the left, with leading goalscorer this season Alfredo Sualdea operating as the centre-forward.
As for Real Madrid, Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior both made their injury returns against Mallorca, while Arda Guler was back on the bench, and there is a chance that the Turkey international could debut here.
There will be changes from the side that started against Mallorca, with Brahim Diaz, Joselu, Dani Ceballos, Alvaro Carrillo and Nico Paz all in line for starts, while Kepa Arrizabalaga could return between the sticks.
Thibaut Courtois, Eder Militao and David Alaba are long-term absentees for Real Madrid due to serious knee injuries, while Ferland Mendy, Toni Kroos and Lucas Vazquez are also unavailable, but Nacho is back from a suspension and should start.
Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde and Rodrygo are likely to be among those rested for Real Madrid ahead of the Spanish Super Cup semi-final with Atletico Madrid, while Aurelien Tchouameni and Vinicius have been left out of the squad.
Arandina possible starting lineup:
Alvarez; Ochoa, Marquez, Pesca; Otu, Vitolo, Zaza, Ceesay; Manzano, Sualdea, El Battioui
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Kepa; Carvajal, Nacho, Carrillo, F Garcia; Ceballos, Paz, Modric; Guler; Brahim, Joselu
We say: Arandina 0-4 Real Madrid
Arandina's progression to this stage of the competition must be celebrated, but we are finding it very, very difficult to back them to go any further. Ancelotti will make changes to his strongest available Real Madrid side, but the visitors should still have far too much for their opponents in this contest.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Matt Law
