Real Madrid Knocked Out Of Copa Del Rey

Things just got a whole lot worse for Real Madrid after being knocked out at the quarter-final stage of the Copa del Rey by Leganés. It is now five seasons since Real Madrid reached the semi-final stage of Spain’s most important knock-out trophy.

Six days ago, Real won the first leg away from home courtesy of an 89th-minute volleyed goal from Marco Asensio. Real Madrid did not field a full-strength team but neither did Leganes.

Any thought that the return leg at the Bernabeu was going to a formality should have been dispelled based on Real Madrid’s torrid form at home in the “King’s Cup”.

Real had yet to win at home in the this season’s competition after two 2-2 draws with Fuenlabrada and Numancia.  Nonetheless, a scoreless draw would have been enough to move into semi-finals.

The result will only serve to increase the pressure on Real Madrid and Coach Zinedine Zidane. Five trophies in 2017 was a phenomenal achievement (Copa del Rey was the only miss) but 2018 has a stark look to it.

The chances of retaining La Liga are next to none. Barcelona leads the league after 20 of 38 games and enjoys a 19 point advantage on Real Madrid albeit with a game more played.

German midfielder Toni Kross has already stated that a more realistic goal is to finish in the top four and qualify for the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League.

At the moment Real Madrid is 4th and a point ahead of Villarreal and three ahead of Sevilla – Villarreal and Sevilla have played a game more.

In times like this, the default action of Real Madrid Fiorentina Perez has been to can the coach. However, Zidane is a Real Madrid legend and icon and he did just win 5 trophies and won the UEFA Champions League in consecutive season.

If Perez is to pull the trigger it would be better done now on account of the knock out round of the Champions League gets going in February. Real Madrid has drawn Paris Saint Germain in the marquee tie of the round of 16.

As far as Leganés is concerned there is no doubt that this is the biggest win in the team’s sixty-year history.

Nicknamed ‘Los Pepineros’ (the cucumber-growers) the team operates on a budget of around 45 million euros ($53M – exchange 1.18) versus Real Madrid’s allocation of 675 million euros ($796M).

Located in south Madrid and playing in a stadium that holds just under 12,000 spectators, Leganés only debuted in La Liga last season and finished 17th.

After 19 games this season Leganés is 13th out of 20 teams and is not under the threat of relegation – so far.

Goals have been hard to come by although Leganés is a solid defensive unit having conceded just 19 goals in the league.

Leganés has to play Real Madrid once more in La Liga. The original fixture was postponed on account of Real Madrid’s participation in the FIFA Club World Cup.

Real Madrid is the second favorite knocked off by Leganés – Villarreal fell in the round of sixteen on the away goals rule.

Valencia and Sevilla have already qualified for the semi-finals while on Thursday Barcelona needs to overturn a 1-0 deficit to city rivals Espanyol in order to join the other three teams in the draw.

Leganés took the lead in the second leg and tied the overall score eight minutes before half-time when Javier Eraso took advantage of a pass from Madrid right-back Achraf Hakimi sold his teammate Nacho Fernandez short.