Elche (dpa) – Real Madrid just avoided a huge embarrassment and struggled against outsiders FC Elche in the quarter-finals of the Spanish Football Cup.
Four days after winning the national Supercup, the leader of the Primera División was only able to prevail 2:1 (0:0, 0:0) after extra time and great effort.
Isco equalized the lead of the courageous hosts, who were strong on the counterattack and were only 15th in the Primera División, through Gonzalo Verdu (103rd) in the 108th minute. Eden Hazard (115th minute) shot the royals – with former DFB international Toni Kroos and ex-Bayern professional David Alaba in the starting XI – into the next round. Madrid professional Marcelo saw red in extra time because of an emergency brake just before the penalty area.
As the last top team, cup defenders FC Barcelona want to make it into the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey at Athletic Bilbao late in the evening.
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