MADRID, 6 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Valencia CF faces Eldense this Tuesday (9:00 p.m.) in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey Mapfre 2024-2025, in the second test for the project now led by Carlos Corberán and which already showed signs of improvement against Real Madrid, although without a prize, so they want a cup joy, against an Alicante team that is also in need and that clings to the tournament as a boost.
The Nuevo Pepico Amat Stadium in Elda will be the scene of this regional derby for a place in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, in the match that closes the round of 32. And, in 2025, Valencia was forced to fulfill the saying of ‘new year, new life’, as it began the new year with Carlos Corberán at the head of the Valencian bench.
The 41-year-old from Cheste, a substitute for Rubén Baraja, made his debut in the complicated test against Real Madrid in Mestalla, but the team showed signs of improvement, especially at the level of play. In fact, they went into halftime winning after a very complete first half, but everything faded in the second half, when they ended up losing 1-2 even with one more man due to the expulsion of Vinícius Júnior.
Thus, the Valencian team, which showed a more attractive, direct, vertical version, must continue taking steps in these round of 32 of the Cup. The objective is to continue improving and evolving to get closer to Corberán’s idea and thus be able to add arguments to save its situation in LaLiga. And they are second to last with the same points (12) as the bottom team, and without winning – in the League – since November 23.
Since then, their only joys have been in the Cup, beating Parla Escuela (0-1) and Ejea (1-3) in the two previous rounds -more than a month ago-, and now they want to smile again thanks to the tournament of the KO and gain the necessary momentum to strengthen his confidence in the face of a demanding schedule in the short term.
The ‘che’ team, after the cup match, begins its particular ‘January slope’, visiting Sánchez-Pizjuán and Montjuïc and hosting Real Sociedad and Celta, in four games that can define its closest destination. On the physical front, Corberán will not be able to count on the injured José Luis Gayà, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Moucktar Diakhaby in the Cup, although he will now be able to draw on the brand new signing Sadiq Umar.
Opposite will be an Eldense who also comes to the event needy and hurt by their results in LaLiga Hypermotion. The Alicante team, like the ‘Che’, only have one victory in the last month, also in the KO tournament, and they have a very irregular dynamic at the domestic level, without winning since the end of November and in relegation positions.
However, they have managed to add draws against teams destined to be promoted such as Racing (2-2) or Elche (0-0), and they have not lost at home since October, combining two wins and two draws at home, with only one goal. against. An asset in their favor, taking into account that Valencia, apart from their two affordable Cup commitments this year, have not won away from Mestalla since last April.