Madrid gunning for cup glory

Taking it seriously
Madrid coach Mariano García Remón has rested Raúl González, Zinedine Zidane and Luís Figo from his eleven to face CD Tenerife this evening. However, he insisted the club were committed to the competition, which they have not won since 1993, and has Michael Owen and Fernando Morientes in attack. "Madrid take every competition seriously and no one should be under the illusion that the cup does not interest us," García Remón said.

Cúper keen
RCD Mallorca are more recent winners of the trophy, having lifted it in 2003, and new coach Héctor Cúper is keen to see his side dispatch UD Lanzarote and go all the way. "Mallorca have won the cup but I haven't," Cúper said. "This competition is as important as any other." Meanwhile, RC Deportivo La Coruña meet Elche CF with several players missing because of injury, including Joan Capdevila, Walter Pandiani, Jorge Andrade, Albert Luque and Víctor Sánchez.

Old score
Sevilla FC have an old score to settle with CF Ciudad de Murcia, who knocked them out three seasons ago, while Córdoba CF will relish tackling CD Numancia, who sacked their coach Francisco López Alfaro this week. Other ties between teams from the first and second divisions include Pontevedra CF taking on Getafe CF, Real Valladolid welcoming Real Racing Club Santander, Cádiz CF against Real Betis Balompié, and RC Recreativo de Huelva playing host to Albacete Balompié.

Atlético wait
Further down the league, Segunda División B sides CD Mirandés, Girona CF, Cultural y Deportivo Leonesa, UEA Gramenet and Lorca Deportiva CF will fancy their chances of an upset against Real Sociedad de Fútbol, CA Osasuna, Athletic Club Bilbao, Levante UD and Málaga CF respectively. The action concludes when nine-time winners Club Atlético de Madrid, minus the injured Fernando Torres, travel to Gimnàstic de Tarragona on Thursday.