Copa del Rey draw: Atlético paired with Cardassar

Even though last season’s Copa del Rey final has yet to be played, the Royal Spanish Football Federation pressed ahead on Monday morning with the draw for the 2020/21 competition.

Atlético Madrid will face Club Esportiu Cardassar in December to kick off what the team hopes will be a good run through this year’s Copa. Atlético have underperformed in the tournament in the past two seasons, as Girona dumped out Los Colchoneros in 2019 before Cultural Leonesa produced a shocking upset 10 months ago.

This one-off match against Cardassar is set to take place on Dec. 16, between the derby against Real Madrid on Dec. 13 and a home game versus Elche on Dec. 20. A visit to current leaders Real Sociedad on Dec. 23 follows — meaning Atleti face a daunting four-games-in-10-days stretch.

Atlético last qualified for the quarterfinals in 2018, the semifinals in 2017, and have not reached the final since winning it in 2013.

As for the opposition — founded in 1924, Cardassar are based in Mallorca and play in Tercera, the fourth division of Spanish football. The team plays at Es Moleter in Sant Llorenç, a municipality east of the capital Palma. The community has a population of roughly 8,500 people.