For a club like Real Madrid, the goal at the start of every season is to win every trophy they are competing for, but for Madrid, one of the trophies they want to win every season is the Copa del Rey. Their last win came in the 2022/23 season and they had their hands on it last season before getting their hearts ripped out by Barcelona in extra time in the final.
And for Real Madrid, that goal of winning the Copa del Rey hasn't changed this season. The Spanish cup would be a good first major trophy for Xabi Alonso to take home as Madrid manager, and despite a somewhat unconvincing start to the tournament, a win is a win.
Xabi Alonso and his men took home a narrow 3-2 win over third division side Talavera in December, having to rely on another two goals from Kylian Mbappe. That victory secured their place in the round of 16, and after today's draw, Los Blancos will clash with a familiar face in the next round.
Real Madrid will meet a familiar face in Copa del Rey round of 16
Real Madrid have been drawn against Segunda Division side Albacete in the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, setting up a matchup against their former player, Jesus Vallejo. Madrid will travel to Albacete for the January 14th matchup and will hope to get the upper hand on their former player.
departed last summer, having been at the club from 2015 to 2025, but he played only five of those seasons for Los Blancos. He had loan spells at Real Zaragoza, Frankfurt, Wolves, and Granada, making just 35 appearances for Los Merengues in his time at the club.
Since leaving Real, Vallejo has landed on his feet with Albacete, who currently sit 17th in the Segunda Division, who despite their poor league form, secured a major upset win over Celta Vigo in the Copa del Rey round of 32, thanks to Vallejo scoring his sides winning penalty.
This sets up the matchup between his current side and former club, a match all fans are looking forward to. While Vallejo was never the best player for Madrid, he was no doubt a fan favorite for his loyalty and dedication to the club. He stuck it out even when he knew he wouldn't play much, but when his name did get called, he was capable of putting in a top performance for the club he truly loved.