Why Barcelona & Real Madrid not playing in 2nd round of the 24/25 Copa del Rey?

The second round of the Spanish Cup returns this week with 28 second round matches and four significant absences.

The Copa del Rey is back this week and we have reached the second round of the 2024-2025 competition. The matches start on Tuesday, with 28 second round matches between Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

However, observant Spanish football fans will notice that a handful of high-profile teams are absent from the second round matches, with Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, ​​​​Athletic Club and Real Mallorca all missing the opening stages and this round.

Super cup tied

These four sides will all receive a farewell as they are the four representatives of the Spanish Super Cup to be held in Jeddah next January (2025).

Real Madrid and Barça are the competition representatives as winners and runners-up of the 23-24 season, while Athletic Club and Real Mallorca were the winners and defeated finalists of the Copa del Rey last season.

When do Madrid and Barça start their Copa del Rey matches?

Most of LaLiga's other major players, including Atletico Madrid, Real Betis, Sevilla, Real Sociedad and Villarreal, will be in cup action this midweek, with Real Madrid and Barcelona (along with Athletic and Mallorca) going straight to the third round. of the competition that will take place in early January (2025).

Since the 2019/20 season, all matches in the Copa del Rey are now decided in one-off matches, with the exception of the semi-finals, which are played over two matches.

With teams in the lower divisions always playing at home, there is a lot of potential for cup upsets and the potential 'banana skins' this week include Ejea-Valencia, Olot-Sevilla, Unionistas-Rayo, Orihuela-Getafe and Cacereño-Atletico Madrid.