Raphael Varane converted two corners as a second-string Real Madrid began the defense of their Copa del Rey crown with a 4-1 victory against third-tier part-timers Union Deportiva Cornella on Wednesday.
The last-32 first leg pitted the world’s richest club by income with annual revenue of more than 600 million euros (US$758 million), against a club with a budget of about 1 million euros a season, who were promoted to Spain’s regional Segunda Division B for the first time last term.
Despite the glaring mismatch, Barcelona-based Cornella, whose players include a dentist and a school teacher, were not overawed by the occasion and after Varane nodded Real in front from a James Rodriguez corner in the 10th minute, burly striker Oscar Munoz leveled in the 20th with a fierce strike.
Photo: Reuters
France centerback Varane struck again to make it 2-1 from Isco’s corner in the 36th minute and Javier Hernandez struck eight minutes into the second half before substitute Marcelo rifled home the rebound from an Isco effort 15 minutes from time.
Cornella play their home games at their modest 1,500-capacity stadium, but Wednesday’s match was relocated to RCD Espanyol’s 41,000-seater Estadi Cornella-El Prat next door.
Spanish media reported the Cornella players had been promised a bonus of about 1,400 euros if they achieve the feat of eliminating Real, less than Ronaldo earns in a single hour.
“We had to make the most of the fact that we were playing in front of so many people for the first time,” Munoz told Canal Plus. “I was very pleased with the goal, but in the end their quality counted and we let in four.”
Real are on course to meet city rivals Atletico Madrid in the last-16, with Barca their probable opponents in the quarter-finals.
All but two of the last-32 first legs take place at the beginning of December, but Real’s was brought forward because of the European champions’ participation in the FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco in mid-December.
Due to the disruption to the La Liga calendar caused by the tournament, Sevilla also had their first leg brought forward and they thrashed second-division CE Sabadell 6-1.
The return legs are at the beginning of December.
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