Real Madrid will face Albacete in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey following the draw held at the headquarters of the Real Federación Española de Fútbol.

The tie will be played as a single-leg fixture on January 13, 14, or 15 at the Carlos Belmonte Stadium. There have been no previous meetings between the two teams in this competition.

On the way to this stage, Albacete — currently sitting 17th in the Segunda División with 23 points — knocked out UD San Fernando (0-3), Leganés (1-2), and Celta de Vigo (2-2, winning 3-0 on penalties).

Butragueño: “We’re expecting a very tough match”
“We know what these Copa games are like. The last time we played in Albacete was more than 20 years ago, and you can imagine what it will mean for them to have our team in the town, and the motivation will be sky high. These high-tension, high-intensity games, and a real celebration for the city. On the pitch, our opposition will want to give their fans something to cheer about, and we’ll need to prepare very well because we’re expecting a very difficult game.”

Schedule
“Tomorrow we’ll be fighting for a place in the first final of the year, and we have the chance to win a trophy, which means making an extra effort this week. Next week, we're facing Albacete in the Copa del Rey, and we need to win that game to stay in the competition. On Saturday we face Levante in LaLiga, and on Tuesday we have a critical match against Monaco in the Champions League. That’s four different competitions in just 10 or 12 days, and they all demand special focus, because we know we’re in a phase where every game brings you closer to a title and is practically like a final.”

Spanish Super Cup
“It was a fantastic result against Betis. Gonzalo’s performance deserves special mention. We started the game with the news that Mbappé wouldn’t be available to help the team, and Gonzalo stepped up and delivered with three magnificent goals, each with its own unique quality. He’s a reliable player, and the other day he was decisive in securing the win. That victory should help us for tomorrow’s game, which will be very tough against intense, tough opposition. Derbies are tight and decided by fine margins. Hopefully they'll go our way tomorrow. We’ll need to put in an extraordinary performance.”

Fans’ reception in Jeddah
“It’s a source of pride every time we travel because the fans’ reaction is so inspiring. When you travel with the team, you feel privileged, and you have to respond to that excitement and affection with a good performance and a win. Wherever we go, the anticipation is huge, and the players feel honored by the fans’ support. It really drives you to want to do even better.”

Copa del Rey Round of 16 fixtures:
Deportivo-Atlético

Racing-Barcelona
Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa-Athletic Club
Albacete-Real Madrid
Burgos-Valencia
Betis-Elche
Real Sociedad-Osasuna
Alavés-Rayo Vallecano