Copa del Rey draw: teams, rules, format and how it works

The coconuts are already in the drums. Real Madrid, Atlético, Barcelona and Athletic, who were exempt from playing the first two rounds as a prize for qualifying for the Spanish Super Cup, will enter the draw for sixteenths of the Copa del Rey, which will take place this Friday (12:30 pm) in the City of Soccer of Las Rozas. They arrive with privileges since the draw will be conditioned so that they are paired with the most modest. That is, four teams that are active in First RFEF (third category of Spanish football) and one of Second RFEF (fourth category) but that have won the title of ‘giant killer’ by eliminating a club from Primera Division in this round.

The Alcoyano, who already eliminated Real Madrid last season and in this edition has taken down Levante on penalties; the Rayo Majadahonda, which beat Málaga 1-0; the Linares, who defeated Alavés 2-1; the Athletic Balearic Islands, which beat Getafe 5-0; and the Royal Stain, which eliminated Granada, they are the modest ones that will be measured to a great one. By regulation, Mancha Real, for being in the Second RFEF, is guaranteed to face Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Atlético and Athletic. The other three will face one of the four teams from Primera RFEF.

Rules and conditions of the draw

32 teams will be involved in the draw for the round of 32, being only 16 those who can go round. This time there will be no exempted. Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Atlético and Athletic, qualified for the Super Cup and as a reward it was not necessary for them to play the first two rounds, they will be in the draw cups. As in the other occasions, there will be as many cups as football categories are represented: one for the First Division, another for the Second, another for the First RFEF and one more for a Second RFEF. Although there will be a fourth. It will be that of the four participating teams for the Super Cup. Since they will continue to have privileges and will condition the draw.

It will be these four teams that are paired with the lower category teams. That is to say, Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Atlético and Athletic They will have as rival in the sixteenths Majadahonda, Alcoyano, Linares, Atlético Baleares and Mancha Real (the latter being the lowest category and having a Super Cup club guaranteed). The rest of the draw will remain conditional and those that remain of higher category will continue to be crossed with those of lower category. There will be no clashes between teams from the same division, since the rest of the First clubs will face either the fifth team of the First RFEF or a Second Division.

So will be the crosses

-El Mancha Real against a Super Cup team (Madrid, Barça, Atleti or Athletic)

-Three First RFEF teams against the three remaining Super Cup teams

-A First RFEF team against a First Division

-Eleven Second Division teams against eleven First Division teams.

Sixteenth format

The sixteenth of the Cup will take place from January 4 to 6. The tie will continue to be single party and there will be no back and forth. The encounters, as in the previous rounds, they will continue to be played in the stadium of the lowest category team. It will be the last round without VAR. The winners of these qualifiers will qualify for the eighth, which will take place on January 15, 16 and 19. This last date for matches in which a Super Cup team has involved.

Participating teams and distribution of drums

Super Cup Teams (4): Real Madrid, Atlético, Barcelona and Athletic.

First Division (12): Celta, Rayo, Sevilla, Real Sociedad, Elche, Espanyol, Villarreal, Valencia, Betis, Mallorca, Osasuna, Cádiz

Second Division (11): Fuenlabrada, Girona, Zaragoza, Leganés, Sporting, Ponferradina, Valladolid, Cartagena, Eibar, Almería, Mirandés,

First RFEF (4): Majadahonda, Alcoyano, Linares and Atlético Baleares.

Second RFEF (1): Royal Stain.

Dates of the qualifying rounds of the Copa del Rey 2021-22

Sixteenth: January 4, 5 and 6.

Eighths: January 15-16 (January 19 for Super Cup participants).

Rooms: February 2nd.

First leg of the semifinals: February 9.

Round of semifinals: March 2nd.

Final: April 23rd.