The performance of footballers promoted from lower categories and the debut of a coach on the bench helped to mark a crucial day in the Copa del Rey, with teams from different divisions fighting for a place in the round of 16. The goal scored by Noé Carrillo for Deportivo de La Coruña, which maintained the score against Mallorca until the 85th minute, marked the confrontation and was the key to his team’s promotion and the elimination of a higher-ranking club in Spanish football. According to Europa Press, Carrillo, a Fabril striker and first-team debutant, took advantage of a rebound from a header that hit the post to send the ball into the net, sparking celebrations at the Riazor Stadium.
The Round of 32, as described by Europa Press, was played with a notable presence of young players who influenced the course of the games. Deportivo’s push against Mallorca, unable to capitalize on its status as a top-flight team, highlighted the dynamics of a tournament where differences between teams can be diluted by the intervention of newcomers and decisive actions in the closing moments.
The course of the game between Deportivo and Mallorca, as described by Europa Press, was characterized by the defensive balance in the first half, a phase in which the defenses of both teams prevented the opposing attack from constantly generating dangerous chances. Javier Llabrés, the visitors’ striker, had the only relevant opportunity in those minutes, but Eric Puerto made a save that sent the ball into the corner and prevented the Island from scoring. The tie remained until halftime, with the coaches’ strategies unable to break the tie in the first 45 minutes.
Europa Press reported that as play resumed, the rhythm and offensive intensity increased. Pablo Maffeo, a player from Mallorca, hit the post with a shot, a situation that was repeated shortly afterwards when Deportivo’s Bil Nsongo shot the opponent’s goal post. The missed opportunities and the uncertainty on the scoreboard created additional tension in the game, which was only decided in the final phase by Carrillo’s goal. With this goal, Deportivo secured qualification for the round of 16 against an opponent that plays in the highest category and, after conceding a goal, was unable to reverse the result in the remaining game time.
Later in the cup matchday, Valencia qualified for the next round after defeating Sporting de Gijón 0-2 at the El Molinón-Enrique Castro “Quini” Stadium. According to the Europa Press report, Lucas Beltrán scored the first goal by taking advantage of a rebound in the local penalty area early in the game. Largie Ramazani tried to extend the lead with two chances in the first third, but Sporting goalkeeper Christian Joel stood in the way of both interventions. Sporting tried to equalize through Gaspar Campos, whose shot was saved by Julen Agirrezabala. Already in the second half, Dani Raba increased the difference with a shot that hit the post before going into the goal, ensuring the final result that secured Valencia’s classification.
Another notable duel was between Real Sociedad and CD Eldense. Europa Press stated that the game remained balanced until the final stages. Luka Sucic gave Real Sociedad the lead in the 79th minute, taking advantage of a starting mistake by the opposing team. The tie came quickly thanks to Nacho Quintana, who scored on the next play, creating the possibility of extra time. However, Pablo Marín scored Real Sociedad’s second goal in the 96th minute, securing the Basque victory. The day also marked the debut of Jon Ansotegi as first-team coach, an aspect which, according to Europa Press, influenced the tactical disposition and spirit of the players, strengthening the collective performance against the demands of the tournament.
Thanks to the narrow victory in Eibar, Elche also progressed. Adam Boyar was responsible for the only goal after Luis López made a defensive error half an hour ago, Europa Press reported. Eibar had a chance for a draw thanks to a penalty from José Corpas, but goalkeeper Matías Dituro’s intervention prevented the goal and allowed Elche to advance to the next phase of the tournament. These types of saves and specific actions by the goalkeepers were highlighted by Europa Press as one of the decisive factors in games characterized by minimal differences on the scoreboard.
The round of 16, recorded by Europa Press, showed the importance of debuts in defining crosses, both for footballers and coaches. Deportivo de La Coruña’s advance against Mallorca was an example of the ability of new talent to unbalance demanding confrontations. The development of the teams that made it – Deportivo, Valencia, Real Sociedad and Elche – was marked by an ability to capitalize on small mistakes and take advantage of opportunities that came their way, in an edition of the Copa del Rey where equality and change in dominance were a constant.
In this context, the role of goalkeepers was fundamental. The saves from Eric Puerto for Deportivo, Christian Joel for Sporting and Matías Dituro for Elche were crucial in keeping their teams in the competition and in some cases securing promotion to the round. The playoffs also highlighted the importance of tactical changes and renewed attitudes of both newly recruited players and coaches facing their first appointment in charge, as was the case with Ansotegi at Real Sociedad.
According to Europa Press, the performances achieved in these games increased expectations for the next round of the tournament, particularly in terms of the performance of teams from lower divisions capable of knocking out teams from the first division. The contribution of new players and technical management was highlighted as characteristic of this edition of the Copa del Rey, where the differences between participants were very small.
According to Europa Press, the outcome of the games will test the clubs’ competitive maturity and their teams’ ability to respond to pressure scenarios. For those who failed, reaching the round of 16 represents an additional challenge in which the virtues demonstrated that day will be required once again. Europapress concludes that the Round of 32 matches provided concrete examples of how individual actions and decisions in the final minutes can determine the course of teams in such an open knockout competition.
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