The Copa del Rey rule that will both help and hinder Real Madrid and Ancelotti

Madrid take on minnows Deportiva Minera on Monday (January 6) and top stars Mbappé, Bellingham and Vinicius may have to play some part.

The games continue to come thick and fast for Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti’s team defeated Valencia in a rearranged game full of controversy (Vinicius Jr, we’re looking at you) on Friday (January 3). Los Blancos then face fifth-tier Deportivo Minera in the Copa del Rey round of 32 on Monday (January 6) before rounding off a jam-packed week with a trip to Saudi Arabia and a Spanish Super Cup semifinal against Mallorca on Thursday (January 9). If they win, they will stay in the Middle East for the final against either Barcelona or Athletic Club on Sunday, January 12.

Given all the talk of just how many games Real Madrid, and other elite clubs, play these days, Ancelotti will be keen to ensure his stars aren’t overworked as the business end of the season draws closer.

With that in mind, the Italian will have targeted the cup-tie against Deportivo Minera as one in which to give key players some time off. That is expected to happen, although perhaps not as much as he would like.

Copa del Rey regulation will impact Real Madrid team

Copa del Rey regulations state that professional teams must have at least seven first-team players on the field at any one time. As a result of that, Ancelotti revealed in his prematch press conference ahead of Monday’s game that only Thibaut Courtois and Antonio Rüdiger wouldn’t be travelling to Cartagena, the city in the southeast of Spain where the cup-tie will be played.

“It’s a rule and it has to be respected. I don’t have any problem with that,” said the 65-year-old, through gritted teeth.

Can Vinicius play in the Copa del Rey after his Valencia red card?

A limited number of academy players could feature alongside the likes of Dani Ceballos, Luka Modric, Jesús Vallejo, Endrick and Brahim Díaz, although star names such as Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius will also be in contention to come off the bench.

Despite being sent off against Valencia, Vinicius is eligible to play in the Copa del Rey, as his suspension will be delayed due to the Spanish Soccer Federation’s Competition Committee not meeting until Tuesday, January 7 (January 6 is a public holiday in Spain).

Who are Deportivo Minera?

Deportivo Minera usually play their home games at Estadio Ángel Celdrán in the tiny municipality of Llano del Beal, which has a population of less than 1,500. As their own stadium has a capacity of approximately 2,000, Monday’s game has been moved to Estadio Cartagonova, which holds over 15,000, in Cartagena, the nearest major city.

Minera, who have played in either the fourth or fifth tier of the Spanish league system since 1995, are making their first ever appearance in the Copa del Rey. In the previous round, they caused a huge upset by eliminating LaLiga team Alavés on penalties after a 2-2 draw.

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