Favourites Real without Raul for King's Cup clash

Favourites Real Madrid will be without talisman striker and captain Raul when they host second division Valladolid in the second leg of their King's Cup third round tie on Wednesday.

A Real team packed with reserve players were held to a 0-0 draw by Valladolid in the first leg last week, with England striker Michael Owen making his first start under new coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo.

"The game against Valladolid was complicated for everyone," Owen said on the Real Madrid website on Monday. "If Ronaldo, Figo, Zidane and company are not on the pitch it is hard to play to the same level as when they are."

As well as Raul, out with a bruised back, Real will be without attacking right back Michel Salgado, who strained a knee ligament in Sunday's 3-1 league win over Real Zaragoza, which kept Madrid within seven points of leaders Barcelona.

Spanish international midfielder Guti returned to training on Monday after a bout of 'flu and will contest a place with new signing Thomas Gravesen.

The Danish international received a rapturous welcome from Madrid fans when he came on in the second half of Sunday's game.

In other King's Cup ties this week, Primera Liga side Athletic Bilbao need to turn around a 2-1 deficit from the first leg against third division Lanzarote.

Third division giant-killers Gramanet, who took the scalps of Barcelona and Levante in the previous rounds, are favourites to record another upset after beating second division Lleida 2-0 at home in the first leg.

In the only all-Primera Liga clash, Osasuna carry a 2-0 lead over Getafe into the second leg. Top-flight strugglers Numancia need to overturn a 1-0 result against second-division Elche.