Mbappe instrumental as penalty and own goal puts Madrid in control

 

Mbappe instrumental as penalty and own goal puts Madrid in control

In a 'David vs Goliath' type battle, Talavera's 5,000-seater arena welcomes the 20-time holders for one of the biggest fixtures in their history. While many would expect Xabi Alonso's men to steamroll their opponents, there is potential for an upset.

Talavera have impressed in the Copa del Rey this season, beating Rayo Majadahonda 4-1 in the first round of the tournament. They followed that up with a shock 2-1 win over Malaga in the second round of the competition earlier in December.

Alejandro Sandroni's side will be brimming with confidence after beating Merida 2-1 at the weekend. They now rank seventh in their domestic table after collecting 24 points from their 16 games this season.

But Los Blancos are rated as one of the favorites to claim the prize, along with Barcelona who won 2-0 against Guadalajara on Tuesday. Many would expect Madrid to brush past their third-tier opponents with consummate ease, even when fielding their second string.

Talavera will be without Valen Gomez on Wednesday, as the 21-year-old was sent off in the previous round. As for Real Madrid, the visitors are still missing a number of big names, with David Alaba, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao and Ferland Mendy all ruled out.

Raul Asencio was a late withdrawal from the squad on Tuesday and will miss the clash along with Brahim Diaz, who has joined up with the Morocco squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

For that reason, Alonso will be expected to heavily rotate his side ahead of their LaLiga clash with Sevilla on Saturday.