Tuesday 13 January 2015 10:20, UK
Quarter-final places are on the line as Sky Sports’ live Copa del Rey coverage returns with six matches across three evenings this week.
Just days after the first legs of the round-of-16 ties, the reverse fixtures take place across Tuesday to Thursday on Sky Sports 1 and 5, with the Madrid derby once again the showpiece game as Real aim to overturn Atletico’s 2-0 advantage.
Tuesday
Espanyol v Valencia – 6.55pm, Sky Sports 1 & 5
Levante v Malaga – 9pm, Sky Sports 1 & 5
The first of the double headers and two ties which could still go either way. Up first, Valencia head to Espanyol’s Power8 Stadium looking to protect a 2-1 advantage from the first leg. An Alvaro Negredo penalty four minutes from time gave Valencia the win last week, but Christian Stuani’s classy goal earlier in the match ensures Espanyol can profit from the away goals rules should they triumph 1-0 at home.
In Tuesday night’s later game, Levante face a tougher task, attempting to turn around a first-leg defeat on their own patch against Malaga, after falling to a 2-0 loss at La Rosaleda. Although both sides come into the game on the back of weekend stalemates in the league, Levante’s task is made all the more difficult by the fact they haven’t won a match of any kind since November.
Wednesday
Real Sociedad v Villarreal – 6.55pm, Sky Sports 1& 5
Sevilla v Granada – 9pm, Sky Sports 1 & 5
Just one goal separates the sides respectively ahead of Wednesday night’s pair of ties. Having suffered the second defeat of his hitherto brief Real Socidedad reign last week at the hands of Villarreal, David Moyes will send out his side at home aiming to overturn the Yellow Submarine’s 1-0 advantage from the first leg.
Granada, meanwhile, face the unenviable task of trying to become the first team to beat their last-16 opponents Sevilla at home since March. The Andalusian side’s cause was helped by on-loan Rayo Vallecano player Lass Bangoura's late goal last week, but Sevilla’s 2-1 advantage and, crucially, pair of away goals make them big favourites to progress.
Thursday
Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid, 6.30pm, Sky Sports 1 & 5
Elche v Barcelona, 9pm, Sky Sports 1 & 5
Spanish football’s ‘big three’ are all in action on the third and final evening of round-five ties, but only two of the contenders for the La Liga title will make it to the quarter-finals. After leaving Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench for the start of the first leg against local rivals Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid chief Carlo Ancelotti has vowed to field a full strength side at the Bernabeu as his league leaders aim to turn round a 2-0 deficit. It is Atletico, however, who are unbeaten in four games against Real this season.
Meanwhile, Barcelona have all-but booked their place in the final eight after thrashing minnows Elche in the first leg at the Camp Nou. Goals from Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba and two for Neymar mean under-pressure Luis Garcia’s Thursday evening should prove a relatively relaxing one in south-eastern Spain.
