Real Madrid secured their spot in the Copa del Rey last 16 with an impressive 5-0 victory over lower-tier Deportivo Minera on Monday.
Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, and Arda Guler struck in the first half, showcasing the dominance of the Spanish champions. Veteran Luka Modric added a fourth goal before Guler tapped in his second to complete the decisive rout.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti opted to rest several key players ahead of the Spanish Super Cup starting in Saudi Arabia later this week. As a result, stars Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior featured only as second-half substitutes.
Valverde opened the scoring with a volley at the back post, giving Madrid early control of the game. Camavinga doubled the lead with a powerful header after just 13 minutes. Endrick nearly added a third for Los Blancos before Guler capitalized on a deflection after cutting in from the right. Brahim Diaz hit the post in the second half, and Modric notched his goal with a neat curling effort. Guler finished the night with ease, tapping in a final goal set up by Fran Garcia, highlighting the Turkish playmaker's fine form.
On Saturday, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid also smoothly progressed to the next round, while holders Athletic Bilbao narrowly advanced on penalties against third-tier Logrones.
The draw for the next round is scheduled for Wednesday, with fixtures set to take place between January 14-16.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
