Copa del Rey Round of 16 Draw Set for January 7 with Four Lower-Division Surprises

Each January, Spain's Copa del Rey reminds the football world that hierarchy is a suggestion, not a law. Sixteen teams — twelve from the top flight, three from the second tier, and one from the fourth — have earned their place in the Round of 16 through results that defied expectation, and on January 7 in Las Rozas, a draw will pair them for single-leg ties played January 17-19. The format is unforgiving: one match, one night, one survivor. In a competition where Real Betis lifted the trophy just last season, the question is not whether the modest teams can cause damage, but how much.