The 123rd edition of the Copa del Rey Mapfre begins this Tuesday with the traditional first round, in which Primera and Segunda teams face clubs from regional categories, Tercera RFEF and Segunda RFEF. The competition will take place over three days with 56 single-leg matches, but the title opens without the presence of the current champion, Real Sociedad.
The txuri-urdin obtained his exemption after reaching the final of La Cartuja in April, which guarantees him a direct pass to the round of 32. Together with Atlético, Barcelona and Real Madrid, which also benefit from the exemption for having participated in the Super Cup via the League, Real Sociedad will not have to play the first two matches or travel to modest fields to overcome matches considered “cheat”. Their official entry will be on December 16, when the third round is played, with the possibility of pairing with lower category rivals thanks to the preference given to them in the draw.
The last time Real enjoyed this privilege was in the 2019-20 edition, when they reached the final without having won the title, since the final was held a year later. On that occasion, Real entered the tournament in the round of 32, beat Córdoba in January and was eliminated in the second round by Betis, with a score of 3‑1 under the direction of referee Mateu Lahoz.
Currently, Real Sociedad faces Alavés in Azkoitia after having been defeated 1‑2 by Getafe in their last match. The next phase of the competition, which will be played between December 15 and 17, will mark the beginning of the defense of the title by the Basque team, which will now be able to concentrate on its matches without the pressure of the first rounds.