Villarreal is preparing for a duel in the first round of the Copa del Rey against Manacor, a match that promises to be a dream for the Mallorcans. The match, scheduled for Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. at Na Capellera, will be one of the most significant dates in the recent history of the island club, which has renovated its stadium with extra stands and new lights in collaboration with the Manacor City Council.
Manacor, led by coach Miguel Aguado, is presented as the highest scoring team in group 11 of the Third Federation. Despite having suffered two draws in the season (2-1 against Formentera and 1-1 against Arenal), the club has won its first five league games and maintains a streak of 39 consecutive games in which it has scored at least one goal. Their offensive style and the power of their attack are the pillars that they hope to take advantage of to try to surprise Villarreal, which faces a more compact block than usual.
Among the players who could form Manacor's starting eleven are Schwarz, Giner, Chato, Sergi Vecina, Ballester, Oliver, Sorell, Capellá, Giaquinto, Adrià Marín and Joan Marí. For its part, Villarreal will have Luiz Júnior, Mouriño, Pau Navarro, Logan Costa, Cardona, Macià, Comesaña, Buchanan, Moleiro, Ayoze Pérez and Tani Oluwaseyi. The referee assigned to the match will be Jon Ander González of the Basque Committee.
Manacor has a top scorer in Adrià Marín, who has scored three goals to date, and several players who have contributed two goals each. The defense, led by captain Chato, will try to contain Villarreal's offensives, which may vary its scheme between two and three centre-backs depending on the evolution of the match.
Villarreal arrives at the match with the peace of mind of its last victory at Mestalla and the coach has indicated that he will give the opportunity to players with fewer minutes in the season or who rested at Mestalla, even considering the possibility of calling up a player from the reserve team. Regarding the casualties, Moroccan international Ilias Akhomach has not trained due to muscle problems, while Nicolás Pepe, who is recovering from eye surgery, may be on the list after receiving a medical discharge. In addition, full-back Carlos Romero and midfielder Nathan Saliba, although they have trained normally, will not be part of the squad for the match.
With an estimated probability of only 1% of advancing, Manacor faces an enormous challenge, but the hope and faith in its possibilities remain intact. The result of this match could mark a milestone for the club and offer a unique opportunity to continue dreaming in the Copa del Rey.