Real Madrid face third tier side Cacereno on Tuesday night at 21:00 CEST, as they open their Copa del Rey campaign for the year.
Having received a bye for the last two rounds due to their involvement in the Spanish Supercup, Los Blancos are making their debut in the competition. Carlo Ancelotti was the last person to win the competition at the helm for Real Madrid, but given it was back in 2014, failure to win the competition this time round would stretch their ‘drought’ to nearly a decade.
Ahead of the match, Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that he would be leaving out a number of star players. Real Madrid take on Villarreal at the weekend.
Sport believe Nacho Fernandez and Lucas Vazquez will be given a chance in the starting line-up, but Cacereno will have to face a strong central defence of Antonio Rudiger and Eder Mlitao. Ahead of them in midfield will be a World Cup runners-up double pivot of Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga.
Dani Ceballos impressed at the weekend against Real Valladolid and is expected to be the creative hub. Eden Hazard will try to catch some rhythm too.
Diario AS coincide with much of that XI, but feel that Nacho will be in central defence ahead of Rudiger, which paves the way for Alvaro Odriozola to have his first minutes of the season, albeit out of position at left-back. He is the only senior Madrid player not to have played this season.
Too many a players in team for this match.
Use more juniors. Were playing a team with “caca” in its name for chrissakes.
I really like this XI, Let’s go Gala Madrid!