Copa del Rey Quarterfinals: Favorites to advance to the next round
The Spanish Cup returns this mid-week after a customary round of league matches over the weekend. Promising victories involving the top three -- Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Valencia -- provide a strong foundation for the sides in the upcoming round. Real Madrid, on the other hand, were beaten once again, this time by Villarreal.
With participation from all the top four La Liga sides, the quarterfinals round are set to offer some mouthwatering clashes. Cup competitions are traditionally known for over-performing midtable teams, a fact Leganes and Espanyol would rely upon.
The quarterfinal round starts this Wednesday with Atletico Madrid hosting an out-of-form Sevilla to play at the Wanda while Valencia host under-performing Alaves. Barcelona face Espanyol in what is set to be the first of three Catalan derbies in under a month, while Real Madrid will try to get back on winning ways against a solid Leganes. The quarterfinals will be played over two legs.
Let's take a look at the favourites to qualify from each of the respective quarterfinal clashes:
#1 Atletico Madrid vs Sevilla
Trailing nine points behind runaway league leaders Barcelona, the team from the Spanish capital face Sevilla in what is set to be, at least on paper, the most intriguing match in the round. However, to Sevilla's frustration, the match couldn't have been scheduled at a worse possible time.
The Andalusians have managed to win only two matches out of their last eight in all competitions, including an embarrassing defeat at the Bernabeu and a defeat in the derby against Betis.
Atletico, on the other hand, has lost just one of their last 10 games in all competitions, a narrow 1-0 defeat at Espanyol. Moreover, Atletico's defensive solidarity would be a challenge for an uninspired Seville team, as the Madrid team have with the best defensive record in Spain, conceding just eight goals in the first half of the Spanish league.
Last Meeting: Atletico Madrid 2 - 0 Sevilla [Spanish League, 23 September 2017]
Manager Head to Head: Diego Simeone 1 - 0 Vincenzo Montella
Author's Take: Atletico Madrid are the favourites to advance to the final four.