Fuenlabrada paid the penalty twice as Real Madrid escaped Estadio Fernando Torres with a 2-0 win in their Copa del Rey last-32 first leg on Thursday.
Seven members of Madrid’s XI were youth products, with Kiko Casilla, Nacho Fernandez, Lucas Vazquez, Marcos Llorente, Achraf Hakimi, Borja Mayoral and Alvaro Tejero all starting against Fuenlabrada, who played Blancos loanee Dani Fernandez on the right wing and Jordi Codina – Iker Casillas’ former No 2 at the Santiago Bernabeu – in goal.
The hosts were flying high in Segunda B, their last defeat coming a day shy of two months ago, and it showed as Madrid failed to break them down in the first half, although Codina did tip Llorente’s volley onto the crossbar.
Nonetheless, Zidane’s faith in youth was rewarded. Achraf was hauled down from behind by Fran Garcia, although the incident appeared to start outside the box, and Marco Asensio sent Codina the wrong way from the spot.
Asensio then hit the target from close range, but Codina tipped over, before Mayoral fired just over from inside Fuenlabrada’s box and had a header expertly stopped by the Barcelona-born goalkeeper.
Vazquez soon veered in from the right, and his low curler went just wide of the far post, but he managed to convert a penalty after Theo Hernandez was pulled down while a corner was being sent into Fuenlabrada’s box, resulting in a red card for substitute Paco Candela.
However, Candela wasn’t the only player to be given his marching orders as Jesus Vallejo – on his Merengues debut– was deemed to have gone in dangerously on his opponent for a straight dismissal.
Fuenlabrada 0-2 Real Madrid
Candela sent off 79 (F) Asensio pen 63, Vazquez pen 80, Vallejo sent off 89 (RM)
Fuenlabrada: Codina; Mikel, Cata Diaz, Armando, Fran; Dani Fernandez (Portilla 46), Milla, Atienza, Fraile (Candela 72); Quero (Annor 53), Dioni
Real Madrid: Casilla; Achraf (Franchu 81), Vallejo, Nacho, Tejero; Marcos Llorente, Ceballos; Vazquez, Asensio, Theo; Mayoral
