The Copa del Rey, Spain’s national football cup, witnessed several surprising upsets in its second round. Some top-tier teams faced unexpected challenges against lower-division opponents, while others barely managed to secure their spots in the next stage.
Two of the most notable surprises came as Espanyol and Girona, both teams from Catalonia, were knocked out of the competition. Espanyol suffered a 1-0 defeat against Atletico Baleares. Girona also faced an unexpected loss, falling 2-1 to Ourense in a match held in Galicia.
Several other La Liga teams found themselves on the brink of elimination. Villarreal needed a penalty shootout to overcome Antoniano, a team from the fourth division. Valencia also had a difficult match against Cartagena, where they had to come from behind. After a player was sent off, Valencia managed to score a late goal in extra time to win the game.
Celta Vigo also faced a tough challenge against Sant Andreu. After a 1-1 draw, the game went to a penalty shootout that saw 13 straight penalties being scored. Celta Vigo eventually won after Sant Andreu missed their attempt. Getafe also needed extra time to defeat Navalcarnero.
Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Athletic Club, who are participating in the Spanish Supercup, were not involved in the first two rounds of the Copa del Rey. They will join the competition in the Round of 32.
Following Leganes’ 2-1 defeat to Albacete, Paco Lopez was removed from his position as the team’s manager. Leganes are currently near the bottom of the second division.
Here’s a summary of the Copa del Rey Second Round Results:
- Ebro 3-5 Osasuna
- Portugalete 0-3 Alaves
- Numancia 2-3 RCD Mallorca
- Racing Ferrol 0-2 Huesca
- Guadalajara 1-0 AD Ceuta
- Navalcarnero 2-3 Getafe (After Extra Time)
- Eldense 2-1 Almeria
- Cultural Leonesa 4-2 Andorra
- Talavera 2-1 Malaga
- Real Murcia 3-2 Cadiz
- Mirandes 0-2 Sporting Gijon
- Quintanar del Rey 1-2 Elche
- Torrent 1-4 Real Betis
- Reus 0-2 Real Sociedad
- Cieza 0-1 Levante
- Ourense 2-1 Girona
- Antoniano 1-1 Villarreal (Villarreal win 5-3 on penalties)
- Pontevedra 0-3 Eibar
- Real Avila 1-2 Rayo Vallecano (After Extra Time)
- Leganes 1-2 Albacete
- Atletico Baleares 1-0 Espanyol
- Sabadell 0-2 Deportivo La Coruna
- Ponferradina 1-2 Racing Santander
- Cartagena 1-2 Valencia (After Extra Time)
- Extremadura 1-2 Sevilla
- Sant Andreu 1-1 Celta Vigo (Celta win 7-6 on penalties)
- Real Zaragoza 0-1 Burgos
- Tenerife 0-1 Granada
These results set the stage for the Round of 32, where the remaining teams will compete for a place in the next stage of the Copa del Rey.
