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‘Unbelievable’—Real Madrid Torn Apart by Rival Player After Copa del Rey Scare

Xabi Alonso had a defiantly different take on Wednesday’s scratchy performance.

Grey Whitebloom

Dani Ceballos was one of several Real Madrid players who missed the target in the cup.
Dani Ceballos was one of several Real Madrid players who missed the target in the cup. / Irina R. Hipolito/Europa Press/Getty Images

Talavera goalkeeper Jaime González lambasted the performance of Real Madrid after Wednesday’s Copa del Rey clash against the Spanish giants, scoffing at the “unbelievable” tactics Xabi Alonso’s side had to deploy to narrowly escape a huge upset.

Jaime was surprisingly confident for a keeper who had just conceded three goals, the last of which was an embarrassing blunder as Kylian Mbappé’s central shot squirted off the uneven turf and through his gloves. Madrid qualified for the round of 16 with a 3–2 win but had to rely upon Jaime’s counterpart, Andriy Lunin, to make an excellent save in stoppage time to avoid a dramatic equalizer from the third-tier outfit.

Madrid dominated first-half proceedings at the 6,000-capacity Estadio El Prado, limiting their hosts to just a single shot on target while Jaime’s goal was relentlessly peppered. Mbappé broke the deadlock in the 41st minute from the penalty spot before forcing a second on the cusp of half time. Tip-toeing around the byline, Madrid’s perennial record-chaser fired a cut-back into the box which cannoned off Manuel Farrando and into his own net.

It was a different story in the second half.

“Real Madrid ended up just hoofing the ball upfield, sitting back, and wasting time,” Jaime’s sniffed, as quoted by MARCA, descriving the overall approach of Alonso’s side as “unbelievable.”

Across the final 45 minutes, Talavera—a team currently battling relegation in the third tier of the Spanish football pyramid—took more shots and racked up a higher xG than their illustrious hosts. Nahuel Arroyo halved the deficit in the 80th minute to set up a nervy conclusion before Mbappé’s speculative effort bypassed Jaime.

“It bounced badly and I couldn’t get to it,” he rued, reflecting with a smile how Jude Bellingham and Mbappé himself had later offered their condolences.

Talavera would not be silenced. As the crowd chanted their own goalkeeper’s name in defiant support, the hosts pulled it back to 3–2, with Gonzalo Di Renzo following up a spectacular free-kick attempt from Isaiah Navarro which crashed off the crossbar. Navarro had another effort in the 93rd minute which Lunin had to paw away to spare Madrid’s blushes. Not that Xabi Alonso was concerned.

Second Half Stats

Statistic

Talavera

Real Madrid

Goals

2

1

xG

1.24

0.78

Shots

10

8

Shots on Target

4

4

Big Chances

2

2

Touches in Opp. Box

12

8

Long Balls

12

12

Duels Won

21

14

Stats via FotMob.

Alonso: I Head Home Satisfied

Xabi Alonso looking severe.
Xabi Alonso has been under immense pressure in recent weeks. / Irina R. Hipolito/Europa Press/Getty Images

Despite last week’s defeat to Manchester City, victory over Alavés appears to have offered Alonso a stay of execution in the Real Madrid dugout. That 2–1 win wasn’t a great deal more convincing than this week’s nervy cup triumph, but Alonso is focused on nothing more than results at the moment.

“The goal was to qualify so I head home satisfied,” he told assembled media. “These things happen in the Copa, and they’ve happened to other sides as well.

“They put the pressure on and Talavera really got the bit between their teeth with their fans behind them. In the first half, we controlled the game well and took the lead, but failing to make it 0–3 left the game open and that’s what we saw at the end.

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“It was a hard-fought second half. We chased the third goal earlier and had chances to get it, but it wasn’t to be. It was an exciting knockout Cup tie. It’s a special competition. Objective complete and onto the next one.”

Quite when Alonso will set the objective of being able to convincingly beat some third-tier strugglers without relying upon a lucky bounce of the ball remains to be seen. For now, his focus will be on getting past Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday by any means necessary.

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Grey Whitebloom
GREY WHITEBLOOM

Grey Whitebloom is a writer, reporter and editor for Sports Illustrated FC. Born and raised in London, he is an avid follower of German, Italian and Spanish top flight football.

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