The UD Pinatar team, which competes in the Preferente Autonómica, is preparing for a match that promises to be the biggest surprise of its season: a duel against Elche CF, a LaLiga club, in the round of 16 phase of the Copa del Rey. The event will take place this Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. at the José Antonio Pérez stadium, located in Lo Pagán, and the local fans are expecting a show that, despite the rotations planned by the Elche coach, could result in a memorable match.
Pinatar, which was promoted last season as Primera Autonómica champion and also won the regional Super Cup, earned its place in the competition after an 8‑0 win against Atlético Melilla in the previous round, followed by a 3‑0 victory abroad. The squad, which is in eleventh position in its division with eight points after five games, has shown a solid performance in the league, with two wins, two draws and one loss, and a balanced goal balance. The last victory, achieved with goals from Hicham Khaloua and Alejandro Martínez, reinforced the team's confidence and the excitement of facing the First Division club.
Coach Francisco Madrid, nicknamed “Chute”, has pointed out that the team “knows how to fight and never stops believing”, and that the victory against Real Murcia C gives them an important boost in both the league and the cup. Among the players who could appear in the starting eleven are Acosta in goal, Pablo, Salva Piernas, Nico, Rachiq, Alberto Vázquez, Tarraga, Moha, Max, Francisco Martínez and Hicham. The assigned referee will be Manuel Jesús Orellana, from the Andalusian committee.
Elche, for its part, arrives at the event with a streak of four days without losing in the league, which was extended with a 3-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano in Vallecas. Coach Martín Anselmi plans to give prominence to players with fewer minutes in the competition, such as goalkeeper Alejandro Iturbe, Argentine Kevin Lomónaco and others such as Matía Barzic, Eze Ponce, Josan Ferrández, Bambo Diaby, Martim Neto, Grady Diangana, Yago de Santiago and Facundo Buonanotte. The absence of Marc Aguado, injured in his ankle, will also be a factor to consider.
With the cup as the stage, the match is emerging as an opportunity for Pinatar, the most modest of the five Murcian representatives in the direct elimination phase, to surprise a rival that is five categories above. For Elche, it will be a test of depth and a way to maintain the motivation of its least used players. The result of this duel will define whether Pinatar's dream becomes a success story in the Copa del Rey.