Having beaten Leganes 3-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey last-16 tie, Real Madrid make the short trip to Estadio Municipal de Butarque with the expectation of completing the job on Wednesday.
Despite that victory, it has been a rocky start to 2019 for Los Blancos, who got a league win under their belts at the weekend against Real Betis . They were made to work hard for that success, though, and with Champions League football next season anything but a formality they will surely focus on the league.
Leganes, meanwhile, are likely in the business of simply trying to save face; two goals in the last 25 minutes of the first leg have surely put this tie beyond them.
| Game | Leganes vs Real Madrid |
| Date | Wednesday, January 16 |
| Time | 8.30pm GMT / 3.30pm ET |
TV Channel, Live Stream & How To Watch
In the United States (US), the game can be watched live on beIN SPORTS and streamed on beIN SPORTS Connect.
| US TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| beIN SPORTS | beIN SPORTS Connect |
In the United Kingdom (UK), the game will not be broadcast.
| UK TV channel | Online stream |
|---|---|
| N/A | N/A |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Leganes players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Lunin, Cuellar, Serantes |
| Defenders | Siovas, Omeruo, Dos Santos, Tarin, Silva, Nyom, Juanfran |
| Midfielders | Perez, Vesga, Gumbau, Eraso |
| Forwards | Arnaiz, Merino, Ojeda, El Zhar, Rolan, Santos, En-Nesyri, Braithwaite |
Leganes starting XI: Cuellar; Juanfran, Bustinza, Omeruo, Siovas, Kravets; Eraso, Recio, Gerard Gumbau; Merino, Braithwaite
| Position | Real Madrid players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | Navas, Luca, Altube |
| Defenders | Carvajal, Varane, Marcelo, Nacho, Reguilon, Sanchez, Odriozola |
| Midfielders | Casemiro, Jaume, Ceballos, Valverde, Brahim, Isco |
| Forwards | Vazquez, Vinicius Jr, Cristo |
Real Madrid starting XI: Navas; Odriozola, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo; Valverde, Casemiro, Regulion; Vazquez, Vinicius, Isco
Betting & Match Odds
Real Madrid are priced by bet365 at odds of 21/20 to take the win, while a draw is available at 23/10. A win for Leganes is priced at 13/5.
Match Preview
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Real Madrid’s 3-0 win over Leganes last week has proven to be a vital result.
Not only did it ease the pressure on interim head coach Santi Solari, which had built following a 2-0 home loss to Real Sociedad a few days earlier, but it was emphatic enough to allow for an off night in the second leg.
After Sergio Ramos’ opener from the penalty spot just before the break, Madrid cut clear in the final quarter, with goals from Lucas Vazquez and Vinicius Junior going some way to sealing the team’s place in the next round.
Madrid continued their momentum against Real Betis at the weekend, going to Seville and scoring a fine 2-1 win against opponents who seriously tested them.
It was a hard night for the capital club, who lost Karim Benzema to a fractured wrist and have seen a raft of problems mount due to muscular complaints.
These issues have only highlighted the ongoing absence of Isco, with the coach unhappy with his efforts in training. If he is not involved from the outset on Wednesday, it would surely be a killer blow to his hopes of remaining with the team.
Leganes were semi-finalists in the Copa del Rey last season but find themselves all but out of the competition after last week’s loss.
They bounced back with a vital 1-0 win over La Liga’s bottom side Huesca on Saturday, but with a relegation battle to fight, it would be understandable if they do not channel all their energy towards this encounter.
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