A superb Rodrygo strike was enough for a much-changed Real Madrid side to see off fourth-tier Cacereno on Tuesday and secure their place in the Copa del Rey round of 16.

Plying their trade in the Segunda Federacion, Cacereno more than held their own as the the European and LaLiga champions were unconvincing with Carlo Ancelotti having made nine alterations following the victory over Real Valladolid on Friday.

But in the 69th minute, Rodrygo jinked onto his right foot before arrowing into the top-right corner and that proved be enough to see Madrid through.

Madrid's hopes of winning a 20th Copa del Rey, and their first since the 2013-14 campaign, remain alive but they made hard work of the victory.

It took until the 16th minute for the first shot on target of the contest, Dani Ceballos sending a tame long-range effort into the waiting hands of Ivan Moreno in the Cacereno goal.

The underdogs largely kept their opponents at bay during the first half and had a couple of attempts of their own, with David Grande testing Andriy Lunin before Carmelo Merenciano saw a shot deflected over the crossbar.

Ancelotti made a pair of changes at the break, but they had little impact as Cacereno continued to look the more threatening of the two teams, though Marco Asensio stung the palms of Moreno with a fierce drive.

Madrid were in need of a moment of quality, and Rodrygo provided one it in abundance when a mazy run into the box ended with the forward superbly curling home.

Ancelotti's men would not relinquish that lead, despite some late pressure, and they are in the hat for the next round.

Real Madrid will face fourth-tier club Cacereno in the Copa del Rey's round of 32 in early January.

Cacereno produced the biggest shock of the second round when beating LaLiga side Girona 2-1 on Thursday, with the Catalans becoming the first top-flight side to be knockout of this season's competition.

The Segunda Division RFEF side have been rewarded for that success with a dream duel with Real Madrid, who will travel to Caceres for the game.

For Cacereno, such a draw will provide a huge boost financially.

Club president Carlos Ordonez was quoted by AS as saying: "It is the maximum lottery that a man from Caceres could win. It has been a continuum of messages, calls, WhatsApps...

"It is the greatest prize that could be given to us. It is an economic boost that for a club like ours is super important. Real Madrid hasn't come to Extremadura for a long time and it's a prize for all Extremadurans."

Madrid only entered the competition in Friday's draw, with Barcelona joining them.

The Blaugrana are set to face third-tier side Intercity of San Juan de Alicante, who have had a fairly rapid ascension to the Primera Division RFEF since their 2017 foundation on the sixth level of the Spanish football ladder.

Atletico Madrid will go to Real Oviedo, while holders Real Betis begin their campaign at Ibiza Islas Pitiusas.

Real Sociedad and Sevilla were drawn with third-tier opponents in Logrones and Linares Deportivo, respectively.

Matches are due to take place between January 3 and 5, with exact kick-off dates and times to be confirmed in due course.

Full third-round draw:

Ibiza Islas Pitiusas v Real Betis

Cacereno v Real Madrid

Intercity v Barcelona

La Nucia v Valencia 

Logrones v Real Sociedad

Eldense v Athletic Bilbao

Pontevedra v Mallorca

Gimnastic Tarragona v Osasuna

Linares Deportivo v Sevilla

Ceuta v Elche

Deportivo Alaves v Real Valladolid

Levante v Getafe

Real Oviedo v Atletico Madrid

Cartagena v Villarreal

Sporting Gijon v Rayo Vallecano

Espanyol v Celta Vigo

Diego Simeone has left the door open for Joao Felix to prove himself at Atletico Madrid but warned "no one is essential".

Joao Felix has been linked with a January exit from the LaLiga side, with club CEO Gil Marin stating this month that the Portugal forward and Simeone do not have a good relationship.

Atleti head coach Simeone has suggested Joao Felix could be allowed to move on next month.

"I want the best for Atletico, we are going to celebrate 11 years giving everything I have for the team and the club to grow," he said ahead of the Copa Del Rey tie against Arenteiro.

"I care about winning, keep improving, growing, keep focusing game by game and then everything that can happen will happen.

"No one is essential, no one, and things will be as they have to be."

The former Argentina midfielder did, however, make it clear Joao Felix could still have a future in the Spanish capital.

He added: "I have no doubt that he is a very important player.

"He had a good World Cup, with an important job for his team, participating in goals and the importance that the coach gave him to develop what he has.

"Hopefully, we can have the best Joao he showed in the World Cup and hopefully he can represent himself in our team."

One player who will be leaving Atleti is Matheus Cunha, with is poised to join Premier League club Wolves.

"Cunha is about to sign with his new club. He is a boy who gave us everything he had, we gave him everything we had," he stated.

Rather than look to the transfer market for additions to replace those who leave, Simeone expressed his intention to look within Atletico's ranks.

"I'm looking inward. For the club, I'm looking at the boys from B, who excite me and are in a great moment," he explained.

"It is a low category to compare it with LaLiga, but they are very excited, [Luis] Tevenet is working very well and if we have to raise boys for the club it is the best thing that can happen to us."

Angel Correa and Joao Felix struck to give out-of-form Atletico Madrid a 2-0 victory at fifth-tier Almazan to reach the Copa del Rey second round.

Atletico have not won in five LaLiga matches but a dominant first-half display saw Correa put them 1-0 up at the break when he took advantage of a mistake from Almazan goalkeeper Alberto Gonzalez.

Felix added a smart second after the break, beating his man before clinically firing into the back of the net to make the game safe.

Atletico consequently cruise into the next round of a competition they have won 10 times, though not since the 2012-13 season.

Correa had already tested Gonzalez by the time Marcos Llorente hit the crossbar with a bouncing effort after Antoine Griezmann's free-kick fell at this feet.

Koke's deflected shot also rattled the woodwork after more fine Griezmann work and Gonzalez made a superb stop to deny Llorente's low drive.

But Felix's long-range shot was too hot for Gonzalez to handle with Correa tapping in the rebound 10 minutes before the break.

Felix added a sublime second in the 63rd-minute, shifting onto his left foot outside the box before rifling into the bottom-right corner.

Griezmann thought he had added a third when he deftly steered home Nahuel Molina's cross, though the offside flag went up to curtail his celebrations.

Koke missed a great opportunity to round out the scoring late on, but he could only side-foot wide.

Real Betis legend Joaquin will play on until the age of 41 after agreeing a one-year contract extension with the Copa del Rey winners but said next season will be the last of his career.   Joaquin, a lifelong Betis fan, has played 451 competitive games for the club, more than any other player in the club's history, and is just 22 appearances short of matching Andoni Zubizarreta's LaLiga record of 622 outings.   The Betis captain, who turns 41 later this month, will have that record in his sights after agreeing to stay with the club until June 2023, and could also become one of the oldest players to appear in LaLiga.    He will have the opportunity to surpass former Osasuna goalkeeper Ricardo, who faced Real Madrid at the age of 41 years, five months and two days in 2013, although the record is disputed given then-Real Sociedad coach Harry Lowe briefly stepped in to play as a 48-year-old in 1935.   In a video posted to Betis' social media channels, Joaquin said: "I had second thoughts until yesterday, but today I had to come.   "One more year and I'm out. This year and I'm out. [It's] the last year."   Joaquin made 37 appearances in all competitions last season, leading Betis to a fifth-placed league finish and the Copa del Rey title, having also won Spain's domestic cup with the club in 2005.

Having helped his boyhood club to their first major trophy in 17 years by netting in a penalty shoot-out victory over Valencia in the Copa del Rey final, it is fair to say Real Betis captain Joaquin was in a celebratory mood.

Few neutrals would have denied the club, who have been relegated twice since their last Copa win in 2005, or Joaquin, a genuine Betis legend who has made the most appearances of any outfield player in LaLiga history (595), their moment of glory.

Unless, of course, they could have foreseen the way in which Joaquin chose to celebrate the triumph, in all his glory.

Having cemented his reputation as one of football's greatest practical jokers by posing stark naked with the Copa he won with former club Valencia in 2008, the 40-year-old decided to grace Betis' social media accounts with a recreation of that photo.

A Copa success might well be the most fitting end to Joaquin's career. He seems intent on making the memory last in more ways than one.

Those of a nervous disposition will probably be hoping it is the last trophy of his career, anyway.

A tearful Joaquin dedicated Real Betis' Copa del Rey triumph to all the club's supporters, after a tense penalty-shootout win over Valencia on Saturday.

Scores were locked at 1-1 after 120 minutes, with Hugo Duro cancelling out Borja Iglesias' opener for Betis in the 11th minute. Yunus Musah's miss in the shootout gifted the eventual opportunity for Juan Miranda to give Betis the 5-4 win on penalties, and the 22-year-old held his nerve.

"Long live Betis even when they lose" has become a mantra for supporters, with the club being relegated twice since their last Copa del Rey triumph in 2005.

The 37-year-old Joaquin, the boyhood Betis fan who was also playing against his old team on Saturday, could not hide his emotion post-match.

"These tears are the suppressed emotion of all these days, of seeing the people and how they supported us, knowing the responsibility of playing this type of game," he told TVE. "It is normal for these tears to flow. We are very happy.

"Let's enjoy the moment, we are Copa del Rey champions, and we dedicate it to everyone who is by our side – the staff, the coaches, the cooks, all the people who are not seen, for my daughters, my wife, my brothers, my parents, all the Beticos."

In characteristic Betis fashion, they had to do it the hard way against a Valencia team willing to absorb pressure.

The Verdiblancos went close to scoring a winner as Sergio Canales hit the frame of the goal, with Valencia keeper Giorgi Mamardashvili also denying Iglesias and Nabil Fekir.

Joaquin, the Betis captain and surviving member from that 2005 victory, believes his side's eventual triumph and contention for the Champions League this season was reflective of the steady improvement they have shown since gaining promotion back to LaLiga in 2015.

"I think that the work of this season and seasons past has been seen today, of gradually achieving goals and improving the team," he said.

"We are having a great season, all the fans deserve it, congratulations to Valencia because they also would have been fair winners. Penalties are a lottery but we also deserved it. It is a joy for all the Beticos."

Yunus Musah missed the only penalty as Real Betis beat Valencia 5-4 on spot-kicks following a 1-1 draw after extra time to win the Copa del Rey for a third time.

Betis entered the contest in their home city of Seville as favourites and led early on through a Borja Iglesias header, only for Hugo Duro to equalise from Valencia's only shot of the first half.

Despite chances for both sides in a gripping and feisty final, the contest at Estadio de La Cartuja went all the way to penalties and it was Manuel Pellegrini's side who prevailed.

Substitute Musah missed the only spot-kick, with Juan Miranda sending Giorgi Mamardashvili the wrong way to seal a famous victory for Betis.

Valencia trail Betis by 15 points in LaLiga and the gulf between the sides told early on as Borja Iglesias headed Hector Bellerin's cross past Giorgi Mamardashvili from six yards.

Jose Bordalas' men showed characteristic resolve by responding 19 minutes later, however, thanks to Duro's delightful dinked finish after being played in by Ilaix Moriba's incisive pass.

Betis went close to restoring their lead when Sergio Canales' deflected shot hit the woodwork but Valencia, who had a penalty shout for a shove on Duro turned down, held firm.

Moriba miscued a volley when spotted in a great position but Betis continued to create chances, with Juanmi denied by both Mamardashvili and then the post.

Nabil Fekir and Borja Iglesias were next to be frustrated by Mamardashvili, while Claudio Bravo was needed to keep out Carlos Soler in a gripping finale to normal time.

A quieter period of extra time followed, which was played at walking pace at times, paving the way for penalties to determine the winner of the 120th Copa del Rey final.

After the first six spot-kicks were converted, Musah skied his attempt and that set up Miranda to settle a tense final that went all the way.

There was a surprise guest at the wedding of Real Betis star Joaquin in July 2005 – surprise because this particular appearance hinged on the outcome of a football match five weeks earlier.

As Joaquin and his new wife stood at the front of the church in his hometown of Puerto de Santa Maria, Cadiz, something else couldn't help but hog attention.

The Copa del Rey trophy, draped in green and white ribbons stood tall – literally, because it's huge – and proud.

That's right, the Copa del Rey was an especially notable guest at Joaquin's wedding, as the winger – then 23 years old – had only recently helped Betis to just their second success in the competition and first since 1977.

Joaquin has always been regarded as something of a practical joker, with that not-so-subtle wedding decoration very much from his wheelhouse.

Fast-forward 17 years and Joaquin is readying himself for another tilt at the crown with his beloved Betis, who themselves haven't reached the final since that momentous 2-1 extra-time win over Osasuna at the Vicente Calderon.

Fittingly, Betis' opponents on Saturday will be the other club most people would associate with Joaquin: Valencia, with whom he won the only other trophy of his career in 2008 – also the Copa – during a five-year spell.

That triumph spawned another curious – but no less Joaquin – photo of the winger with the trophy, as he was snapped stark naked squatting next to the cup in Valencia's dressing room.

Hopefully social media won't see a repeat of that one on Saturday…

Joaquin didn't feature for Valencia in that final, however, and therefore his 2005 success will gratefully remain the focus for most.

While Joaquin is by no means the Betis regular he was 17 years ago when he was an exciting fleet-footed winger, this occasion will still be all about him in the build-up, with there also a degree of aptness around the fact Saturday's game is taking place in Seville, at La Cartuja.

This campaign is expected to be Joaquin's last as a player. Now 40, his contract expires at the end of the season and in November he hinted retirement was likely in 2022. Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini quickly looked to sweep that under the rug, adamant such decisions will wait until 2021-22 is finished, and there's been very little public discussion of the subject from he or Joaquin since.

It's easy to understand why many aren't predicting another year of Joaquin in LaLiga, though. Even if you ignore the fairly important point of his age, his time on the pitch has reduced significantly this term.

In LaLiga he has made only two starts this season and in total featured for just 395 minutes. Of course, he's been used across multiple competitions in 2021-22 and was named in the starting XI eight times in the Europa League.

But while his 31 appearances is actually one more than in 2020-21, his minutes-per-game average of 36 (1,117 total) is 12.4 minutes fewer than last term, highlighting how he's become even more of a peripheral figure.

But that's not to say his influence has waned. Pellegrini stood aside before the first leg of their Copa semi-final defeat of Rayo Vallecano to let Joaquin deliver a speech.

He said: "Look each other in the eyes. We are here because of ourselves. I don't know if I should talk to you as a team-mate, friend or captain, but I will do it as a Betico, because I know what many of them must be feeling here today.

"They are going to be there until the death. The Beticos, and this club, have suffered for a long time. Sacrifice and effort lead to glory. That's the reward.

"I had an uncle who used to say, and he taught me this, that there's nothing more beautiful than making other people happy – today we have that chance. We're going to go out there and show we want to be in that final."

Betis fell behind early on in that game in Vallecas but went on to win the game 2-1. They then looked to be heading for extra time when Bebe spectacularly put Rayo ahead with 80 minutes played of the second leg in Seville, but a moment of inspiration from Joaquin right at the end opened the Rayo defence up.

He brought down a cross-field pass, glided away from Bebe and slipped a perfectly weighted pass in behind the defence for Sergio Canales, whose prodded pass was deflected towards goal and tapped in by Borja Iglesias.

The entire Betis bench and staff mobbed Joaquin at full-time, fully aware of what their achievement meant to him – but it was also a show of appreciation, with the veteran's cameo showing he remains a very useful option.

On a per-90-minute basis across all competitions this season, Joaquin tops Betis' charts for assists (0.32), expected assists (0.29) and chances created (2.9), while his 4.3 dribbles attempted is bettered by only three players.

Of course, his sample size is much smaller than the likes of Nabil Fekir and Canales – the point isn't that he's better than them, simply that he's packing a lot of quality into his relatively brief appearances.

Don't expect to see his name in Betis' line-up on Saturday, but do not be surprised if he comes on and makes a telling impact – given the legendary status he holds not only at Betis but also in LaLiga, there'll be many willing him to enjoy a successful end to a fine career.

Let's not forget, his 595 LaLiga appearances is a record for an outfield player, while only one man in Spanish top-flight history has appeared in more seasons (Miguel Soler, 20) than his 19.

Assuming he does in fact play some part on Saturday, it will be his 106th Copa del Rey appearance, extending another record among non-goalkeepers.

A 17th wedding anniversary might not be a big milestone for most, but you can count on Joaquin bringing the Copa along for the celebrations if Betis succeed this weekend.

Joaquin described the coming Copa del Rey final as "a beautiful thing" after he helped Real Betis seal a showdown with his old club, Valencia.

Manuel Pellegrini's side drew 1-1 with Rayo Vallecano in Thursday's semi-final second leg to progress to their fifth Copa final with a 3-2 aggregate win.

A stunning free-kick from Bebe looked to have sent the match into extra time, but Borja Iglesias bundled in an injury-time goal for Betis after substitute Joaquin had found Sergio Canales with a throughball.

Valencia had secured their place in the final on Wednesday, Goncalo Guedes' fine strike securing a 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao and a 2-1 aggregate victory.

Joaquin, who will turn 41 in July this year, will now hope to win the Copa for the third time in his career, having done so with Betis back in 2005 and Valencia three years later.

When asked about the prospect of facing his former side, Joaquin said: "My God, what a beautiful thing.

"We're going to enjoy ourselves because we deserve it. On Sunday, we have a difficult game to keep dreaming of the Champions League.

"I have already won a Copa with Betis and another with Valencia, and I've played a final with Fiorentina [in the Coppa Italia in 2014]."

There were wild celebrations inside and outside the Benito Villamarin, and Joaquin promised he would also honour the occasion – after he had seen his family.

"I'm not going out today," he said. "My wife said to me 'I'll wait for you', so I'll go home... to change. If we're kept here late then I'll have to go in the Betis tracksuit!

"But I want to see my wife and my girls, who have suffered like all Betis fans, and like I did. What a massive joy."

Real Betis will face Valencia in the Copa del Rey final after Manuel Pellegrini's men came through a semi-final against Rayo Vallecano.

Leading 2-1 from the first leg last month thanks to William Carvalho's winner, Betis controlled the second leg at the Benito Villamarin before late drama saw it finish 1-1.

The home side were content to keep possession and ensure Rayo had few chances to threaten, with Nabil Fekir mustering the first meaningful effort on target after 72 minutes had been played.

That was until the 80th minute, when former Manchester United forward Bebe unleashed a spectacular strike from a free-kick to level the aggregate scores.

However, in injury time, Borja Iglesias bundled home the equaliser to secure Betis' 3-2 aggregate win.

Betis saw a five-game unbeaten run end in a derby defeat to Sevilla last weekend, but almost put the tie beyond reasonable doubt after just six minutes, Juanmi seeing his header saved.

Isi Palazon fired narrowly wide for Rayo, and Pathe Ciss missed with a header, but there was little to trouble Betis goalkeeper Claudio Bravo in the first half.

Betis looked the more likely after the restart, with Sergio Canales and Carvalho each blasting shots over before Fekir at last produced an effort on target from inside the box, one that Luca Zidane held comfortably.

Andoni Iraola tried to provoke a late fightback, introducing Bebe from the bench, and he responded just three minutes later with a quite stunning strike from 35 yards out that left Bravo with little chance.

Just as extra time loomed, Betis snatched the decider. Bravo picked out Joaquin with a precise kick, the veteran slid the ball to Canales and, as his effort deflected towards the far post, Borja arrived to turn it home under pressure.

What does it mean? Betis on track for beautiful season

Betis have been a thrilling side to watch this season. They scored 47 times in their first 25 LaLiga games of the season, a figure they have only bettered twice in their history.

What Pellegrini's side showed here was nous and discipline. Although Bebe's stunner unsettled their plans, they responded well with late pressure to force Borja's goal and reach the final for a fifth time.

Hit me Bebe one more time

Bebe has had a penchant for the spectacular during his Rayo career, but did anyone truly see that goal coming?

It was an astonishing attempt, the swerve of the ball leaving Bravo clutching at thin air, and it was a goal worthy of at least forcing the extra 30 minutes.

Joaquin sets up dream date

Joaquin had just nine touches of the ball after coming on in the 82nd minute, but one of them was a perfectly weighted pass to release Canales for the equaliser.

The 40-year-old has won this competition twice before: once for Betis, and once with Valencia. He now has the chance to lift it for a third time, if he can beat his old club.

What's next?

Betis host LaLiga champions Atletico Madrid on Sunday, while Rayo head to Cadiz.

Jose Bordalas dedicated Valencia's victory over Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey semi-finals to the club's "incredible" fans.

A spectacular strike from Goncalo Guedes sealed a 1-0 win at Mestalla on Wednesday and a 2-1 aggregate triumph for Valencia, as they reached the final for the second time in four seasons.

Athletic, who had lost the past two finals, only managed a single shot on target in the match as the home side, roared on by the Mestalla crowd, kept them comfortably at bay.

Valencia have won just eight of 26 LaLiga games under Bordalas this season but will now face either Real Betis or Rayo Vallecano in the final for the chance to lift a trophy and qualify for the Europa League.

"It's a feeling of enormous, incredible satisfaction," said the former Getafe boss.

"It was a case of be in the final or don't be. The little they created against us, we solved in a remarkable way. We were the fair winners of this semi-final. We're in the final on our own merit.

"These fans and this pitch are incredible. I always wanted to manage Valencia and getting to the final will give us a lot of confidence and will unite us.

"What I experienced when I arrived, I was very surprised. I couldn't explain it. I've experienced similar moments, but not like this.

"The fans all deserved that we went through. On the pitch, I couldn't even communicate with the players. Everything was shaking. This gave us incredible strength and energy."

Marcelino was in charge of Valencia for their Copa triumph in 2019 and took Athletic to the 2019-20 and 2020-21 finals, where they were beaten by Real Sociedad and Barcelona.

After falling short in his quest for a fourth consecutive final, the Athletic boss said his side had been punished for a lacklustre performance in the first leg.

"Firstly, we have to congratulate Valencia," he said.

"It was a very even tie, but in the first leg we weren't at a good level, and we paid for it. Here, we stood up really well, and we were superior to Valencia in the first half, but a great goal from Guedes decided the tie.

"In the second half, we maybe lacked freshness, a reading of the game. We were losing our positional play as the minutes went by and maybe our best men, or the most decisive in the second half, didn't have their best night.

"We did everything possible to reach the final. We just needed one goal to go to extra time until the 95th minute, but we didn't hit the opposition goal, and we were penalised for that.

"We would have liked to have had a final with fans. Now, we ask that they continue to support us. The team deserves it because it was only small details that decided the tie."

Valencia reached the Copa del Rey final for the third time this century as Goncalo Guedes' strike secured a 2-1 aggregate semi-final win over Athletic Bilbao.

The Portugal international's powerful effort two minutes before half-time sealed a 1-0 second-leg win at Mestalla to send Los Che through.

Winners in 2008 and 2019, Valencia will now contest the final against either Real Betis or Rayo Vallecano, who meet in the second leg of their semi-final on Thursday.

Athletic had eliminated Barcelona and Real Madrid from this season's competition but could not lift themselves after Guedes' goal and were unable to reach the final for the third year running.

After 40 tense minutes of few chances, Inaki Williams was played through on goal by Iker Muniain but dithered on the ball and was denied by goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala.

Just two minutes later, a free-kick was cleared to Guedes 25 yards from goal, he took a touch into space and blasted a superb strike well beyond the reach of Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Athletic pushed for a way back in the second half, but their final product was lacking. Williams miscontrolled at just the wrong moment, and Muniain cut inside and curled a shot a yard over.

A fierce free-kick from Inigo Martinez was well held by Mamardashvili, who had mostly been protected superbly by a disciplined back three.

Athletic had a few late set-pieces to send towards the Valencia box, but there was little to unnerve the jubilant home fans.

What does it mean? Valencia seize chance to rescue season

Valencia are ninth in LaLiga, 11 points outside the European places, so the Copa has represented one of the few bright spots in their season.

The chance to win the trophy for the ninth time and qualify for next season's Europa League is therefore a hugely welcome one for Jose Bordalas.

For Athletic, who had performed so well to eliminate Barca and Madrid in the previous rounds, this will feel like a missed opportunity.

Guedes' golden touch

In a contest of few clear-cut chances, it fell to Guedes to settle things with a spectacular effort from outside the box.

It was one of just four shots on target throughout, but it was worthy of winning any match.

More Copa misery for Muniain

Athletic's captain and inspiration, Muniain was exceptional in the earlier rounds to drag his side towards a possible third final in a row.

However, he could not influence proceedings at Mestalla, creating only one goalscoring chance throughout and failing to test Mamardashvili.

What's next?

Valencia host Granada in LaLiga on Saturday, while Athletic are at home to Levante next Monday.

Carlo Ancelotti admitted Real Madrid missed the quality of Karim Benzema as he claimed their Copa del Rey exit to Athletic Bilbao was not a surprise.

The LaLiga leaders were beaten 1-0 at San Mames on Thursday, Alex Berenguer scoring a brilliant winner in the 89th minute to send Athletic into the semi-finals.

It was a measure of revenge for Marcelino's men, who lost 2-0 in the Supercopa de Espana final to Madrid last month, in which Benzema scored the second goal.

Los Blancos were without their talisman in the Basque country, though, as he had not recovered from a hamstring injury sustained in the 2-2 draw with Elche.

In the absence of Benzema, who has scored 24 goals in 28 appearances this season, Madrid managed just two shots on target against Athletic, while their first-half expected goals figure of 0.1 was their lowest since January 2020.

Ancelotti accepted the decision not to rush Benzema back into action left his side without enough of a threat going forward.

"We're hurt because we want to win everything. I don't think it will have consequences. I only hope that it makes us stronger," he said of the defeat, as quoted by Marca.

"We don't have players of Karim's quality. We didn't change the plan. We tried to play from the back, and we couldn't. Athletic's pressing was really great until the 70th minute.

"I think in extra time we would have had the advantage, but they scored in the last minute. We played too much on the wings. We should have used [David] Alaba and Casemiro more. It didn't go the way we wanted.

"It's not the worst game of the season. It was even until the end. I'm not surprised with how the game went."

Even as Madrid's attack laboured, Ancelotti left Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale and Luka Jovic on the bench, his only changes being Isco for Toni Kroos and Eduardo Camavinga for Vinicius Junior.

It was put to Ancelotti that the trio were being punished by being kept among the substitutes, but he replied: "I have nothing to say. Nobody is punished. [Dani] Ceballos and [Jesus] Vallejo didn't play, either. They're at the same level as the others who didn't play. You have to be fair.

"Kroos was taken off due to fatigue, as was Vinicius. We were thinking of changes for extra time and there wasn't time."

Madrid's next match is at home to Granada in LaLiga on Sunday.

Reaching the Copa del Rey semi-finals cannot be "the most important night" for Real Betis, insists Manuel Pellegrini. 

Betis booked their place in the final four with a 4-0 hammering of Real Sociedad at Reale Arena on Thursday, with Juanmi netting a double before Willian Jose and Aitor Ruibal struck in the closing stages.  

Pellegrini's side have scored four in each of their past three games, with the victory over La Real their biggest in the Copa against top-flight opponents. 

The Chilean was pleased his side have improved upon their run to the quarter-finals last season but urged his team to demand more, particularly with none of Barcelona, Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid in the final four this term.

"I am very happy to be in the semi-finals of the Copa," said Pellegrini. 

"When you win, you have to celebrate things with the appropriate moderation. I don't think going to the semi-finals is the most important night. We have to keep working. 

"It is already an achievement compared to last season, when we were eliminated on penalties in the quarter-finals. 

"The dynamic is positive. We have scored four goals in each of the past three games, generating chances, but the team has been consistent since January of last year." 

La Real boss Imanol Alguacil was frustrated by the decision to disallow a first-half goal by Adnan Januzaj for a questionable offside decision against Mikel Oyarzabal in the build-up. 

Imanol also expressed his displeasure at Alexander Isak being incorrectly called offside moments before Juanmi scored his 16th goal in all competitions this season – the best haul in a single campaign in his career. 

"We didn't play our best game, but someone has to explain what happened. Things happened off the pitch that didn't help us at all and made the difference," he said. 

"I don't understand why Januzaj's goal wasn't allowed. I think before their second goal, Isak wasn't offside. It was clear. 

"Betis deserved to win but I would have liked it to have been under normal and equal conditions. It wasn't like that today."