REAL MADRID-NUMANCIA
Real Madrid 2-2 Numancia Copa del Rey: match report, action
Real Madrid were held at home against Numancia after beating their opponents 0-3 in the first leg to advance to the Copa del Rey quarter-final.
Real Madrid 1-1 Numancia (4-1 agg): match report
The answers Real Madrid have been looking for to get them out of their recent slump were not to be found on Wednesday night at the Santiago Bernabéu. They were pegged back twice after going 1-0 and 2-1 up despite winning the tie comfortably on aggregate.
Zinedine Zidane made 10 changes to the side that drew 2-2 against Celta Vigo last weekend after a clear the air meeting resulted in some of the younger players reportedly complaining about playing time. The chances were dished out tonight with few, if any, being grabbed.
Lucas Vazquez looked very sharp and had Real Madrid off the mark with a rare header after 11 minutes meaning Numancia would have to score four to win the tie. They never stopped attacking to their credit and their brand of football spread Real Madrid out often. They had their reward on 45 minutes when substitue Guillermo turned home a Mateu cross at the back post.
It was Vazquez again who put Real Madrid back on top when Borja Mayoral headed down to him as he turned and struck to make it 2-1.
Zidane tried to shut down the game by bringing Casemiro on and taking off Mayoral but that only encouraged Numancia up the field. They were building with time dwindling down and had a number of chances before Guillermo sent a header past Casilla to draw the Segunda side level on 82 minutes.
They were in the ascendancy too but the ref blew the full time whistle with the scoreline reading 2-2 on the night and 5-2 to los Blancos on aggregate. Zidane will now look to Villarreal at the weekend needing three points while Numancia play top side Huesca in the second division in search of a place in the automatic promotion places.
Real Madrid vs Numancia: live stream online
Real Madrid vs Numancia: preview
Real Madrid return to the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday night to finish off a job they started last week in the 1st leg of the Copa del Rey last 16 game against Numancia. The Segunda division side, who have their eyes on a promotion push in the league, have their work cut out for them to overturn the 0-3 defeat they suffered in the first leg.
Real Madrid
All is not well at Real Madrid after the game against Celta Vigo in LaLiga on Sunday night, which los Blancos drew, and some of the younger players reportedly took Zinedine Zidane to task over their lack of minutes. They are likely to be given time tonight to prove themselves as Zidane tries to keep his first choice players fresh for a gruelling run, which ends on February 14th when PSG come to town.
Numancia
Numancia sit fourth in the Segunda division and looked the part against their Galactico opponents last week when they pushed Real Madrid to the very limit despite suffering a three-goal defeat. Their manager, Jagoba Arrasat, can be proud of his side's efforts in that outing but will be hoping for a more positive result with a performance to match in the capital on Wednesday night.
