Athletic Club to Face Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa in Copa del Rey Round of 16

Athletic Club is set to face Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa in the Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey, as announced during the draw held this Wednesday at the Ciudad del Fútbol. The match is scheduled for next week, with the exact date and time yet to be confirmed. Should Athletic be eliminated in tonight’s Supercopa semifinal against Barcelona, the game is likely to take place on January 13.

Given its status as a Supercopa team, Athletic Club has been matched with a lower-tier opponent. They will compete against CYD, a team coached by Cuco Ziganda, who has a history with Athletic both as a player and coach. Ziganda and Athletic’s head coach, Ernesto Valverde, share a strong relationship that dates back to their time as teammates in the club’s first team.

This will mark the second occasion Valverde has led Athletic Club against Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa. The two teams previously met in the Copa del Rey during the Round of 32 in the 2004-05 season, where Athletic emerged victorious after a dramatic match that extended into extra time. A decisive goal from Ezquerro in the 108th minute sealed the win, with Orbaiz also scoring for Athletic, and Paulino netting for the Leonese side.

Athletic Club will travel to León the day before the match, and CYD is anticipating a full stadium, with nearly 14,000 tickets expected to sell out. The atmosphere is set to be vibrant, as Athletic has a significant number of supporters in León and the surrounding province, including the Peña Catedral de León.