Atlético, Arenteiro paired in next round of Copa del Rey

Wednesday afternoon’s Copa del Rey draw confirmed that Atlético Madrid will meet fourth division side CD Arenteiro in second round action next month.

A date and kickoff time have not been confirmed yet (as is standard), but the game is expected to take place between the 20th and 22nd of December. This could create a selection headache for Diego Simeone, depending on how deep certain national teams will play into the upcoming World Cup. Atlético have 11 representatives across seven national sides in Qatar, with many expected to rest following the tournament.

Following last month’s bitterly-disappointing elimination from European competition, Atlético’s top objective for this season has become the Copa del Rey — a tournament the Rojiblancos last won in 2013. Atleti defeated fifth-tier Almazán last week in a professional, if unspectacular, display at Numancia’s Los Pajaritos to kickstart the cup campaign.

The next order of business for whichever players are eligible for the second round fixture will be to overcome Arenteiro at the 4,500-seat Estadio de Espiñedo in Ourense, a province located in Galicia, near the Portuguese border.

Founded in 1958, Arenteiro have spent most of its history in the fourth and fifth tiers of Spanish football. Arenteiro are one of the 90 teams that make up the Segunda Federación, which is further broken down into numerous regional groups. The Galicians are unbeaten in league play this season and have already produced one Copa del Rey shock, beating LaLiga side Almería 2-0 on Sunday to advance to the second round against Atlético.