Copa del Re: Real Madrid continues to win and Elche comeback in 10

From our correspondent Filippo Maria Ricci

20 th January
– Madrid

Ancelotti’s Real Madrid doesn’t give up anything. The games accumulate and lengthen, but the desire for the blancos remains intact. In the round of 16 of the Copa del Rey Madrid gave everything and with great heart they won 2-1 in Elche (a team that they will also face on Sunday in La Liga), recovering in 10 in extra time thanks to the networks of secondary protagonists such as Isco and Hazard, with 2-2 at 120 ‘canceled amid local protests. Ancelotti had said that he is interested in the cup, and the field confirmed it. Madrid are in the quarters.

Different Madrid

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Between turnover and ailments Ancelotti has changed his usual 11 a lot: Lunin in goal, defense with Lucas Vazquez, Nacho, Alaba and captain Marcelo, Valverde and Camavinga with Kroos, Jovic in the midst of Rodrygo and Vinicius. Ready go and Elche has eaten a colossal goal: in the 10th minute Josan crossed for Guido Carrillo, who from two meters, we repeat, two meters, managed to hit the crossbar of Madrid’s unguarded goal. Carrillo himself then misdirected two head shots on inviting side offers from his teammates. Frightened but survived, Madrid started playing by taking Camavinga to the shot and creating dangers on the left with Marcelo and Vinicius, with Rodrygo wasting the best chance of the blancos in the 42nd minute after a great foray by the inspired Marcelo.

Unsuccessful domain

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Ancelotti in the 71st minute brought in Casemiro and Modric to recompose the magical trio with Kroos, then Isco as a ‘false nueve’. Madrid controlled the game by becoming more and more dangerous with Casemiro and Vinicius, served by Marcelo, but failed to find the goal, with the game going into extra time. The first key of the match at 102 ‘. Isco loses the ball and Mojica starts the counterattack, Marcelo knocks out Tete Morente launched at the net and is sent off. The punishment is pulled by Verdù: first attempt on the barrier, in the second the ball nocks in Ceballos and beats the innocent Lunin, who shortly before had already stopped a good free-kick from Gumbau.

One two

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Madrid in 10 threw themselves in search of the equal, who found in the 3 ‘of the second extra time. Casemiro, deployed as central third on the right, found himself in the area on the left, center for Ceballos who shot: Isco’s decisive touch kept in play by a defender. Another decisive rebound. But it was not over: in the 105th minute Isco saw Alaba and he launched Hazard in a lethal counterattack: the Belgian jumped the goalkeeper and deposited the ball in the empty goal. Elche scored in the 120th minute, but amid great protests, Fidel’s goal was canceled due to a previous foul by Verdù on Lucas Vazquez, with the furious Pere Milla sent off for a double yellow card. This Madrid is very hungry.