The second round of the Copa del Rey has shown that the presumably better level of the First Division teams is balanced by the desire of the modest teams that face them. This is how they have suffered, defeated 2-0 against CD Barbastro, in relegation positions in II RFEF, that is, the fourth category of Spanish football. The parakeets have not managed to overcome Sito’s double and are out of the tournament. Other elite clubs, , have needed extra time to beat Real Ávila, also in the fourth place of national football although at the top of the table, by 2-4. Las Palmas has beaten CE Europa, in the same category as Aragonese and Avila, and maintains its good streak after changing coaches. Celta has beaten Salamanca CF 0-6 and has avoided scares and special wear and tear during the week. Elche beat Yeclano (0-1) and Granada won on penalties against Zaragoza after a 2-2 score.
The displeasure of this new cup day comes for the Spanish fans, distressed in the League in their fight to maintain the category without even achieving a joy in this match against a lower level rival. The Catalan team was planted on the field of humble Barbastro with a line-up full of substitutes without them being able to assert their technical and physical superiority to beat the locals, spurred on by a fan accustomed to other vicissitudes and eager for exploits against a Primera. Sito, from 11 meters, without the subsequent visitor siege serving to turn the situation around. The visitors went out of their way to find an equalizer but once again Sito, chasing a rebound, gave Barbastro joy in their journey in the KO competition. Manolo González’s team, questioned for its difficulties in the league competition, suffered a defeat that was not very useful to demonstrate the capabilities of the substitutes but left the blue and white team focused on their goal of staying put.
The reason for their hardships. The victory, 2-4 in extra time after drawing two in the first 90 minutes, shows the shortcomings of the bottom of the First Division, still without a coach after firing Paulo Pezzolano on Sunday. The head of Real Valladolid Promesas, Álvaro Rubio, has assumed the direction of Pucela without the recurring substitutes having given reasons to demand more minutes than those granted by the Uruguayan. The people from Valladolid took the lead through Latasa but left the Avila team in control of the game and Adrián Carrión, upon returning from the break, made those from Ávila dream of the Teresian miracle. The difference in level, both strictly in football and physically, marked the future of the match with the proper name of Marcos André, first to send the match to extra time and then, with the locals wheezing, put their team ahead and Kike Pérez will round off the visit with the fourth.
UD Las Palmas, with certain difficulties, has surpassed CE Europa through a double from McBurnie to overcome Julián’s initial goal. The yellows, who defeated away from home, maintain their positive path after Diego Martínez arrived on the island bench to replace Luis Carrión. Since then, 12 of 18 points in the League and this step forward in the Cup. The one who has sweated the least has been RC Celta de Vigo, with seven goals at the home of Salamanca CF, the legendary Helmántico, who had not seen elite football for many years. The obvious superiority has allowed the Galicians not to have to push to advance to the round and allowed the players with less burden to gain confidence and goals so that Claudio Giráldez can count on them more frequently. The goals were scored by Williot, Hugo Sotelo, Pablo Durán, Tadeo Allende, Carlos Domínguez and Fer López (2).
The rest of the crosses have been carried out by Elche, from the Second Division, winner 0-1 against Yeclano, while in the silver duel between Zaragoza and Granada it has been the Andalusians who have continued their cup journey after penalties (4-5) .
