In-form Murcia determined to match Cup holders Deportivo
La Coruna-born coach David Vidal is out to upset his home town club when Murcia visit Deportivo's Riazor stadium for the first leg of their King's Cup quarter-final on Wednesday.
La Coruna-born coach David Vidal is out to upset his home town club when Murcia visit Deportivo's Riazor stadium for the first leg of their King's Cup quarter-final on Wednesday.
Murcia, the only non-first division side still in the competition, overturned Alaves in the last round and the 52-year-old Galician is confident his team can add a win over the Cup holders to their considerable successes this season.
"Our team has great character," Vidal said. "They approach the game in a serious manner and are good at keeping the ball. But the players have got their feet on the ground and are aware that we still haven't achieved anything yet.
"We have nothing to lose against Depor and so we can afford to go for it from the start and then see what happens."
Murcia have proved that their Cup run is no fluke with an impressive second division league campaign. Unbeaten in seven matches, they are second, one point off the pace.
Deportivo made their way into the last eight with a 5-2 aggregate win against Alicante, but the Galician side were made to work hard after being held to a 1-1 draw by the modest third division side in the first leg and they will not be able to relax against their lower-ranked opponents.
Last year's losing finalists Real Madrid face a potentially tricky tie against Real Mallorca at the Bernabeu on Thursday but will be heartened by the fact that they beat the islanders 5-1 when they met there earlier in the season.
On paper neighbours Atletico Madrid, who snatched a last gasp draw at the Bernabeu in a league derby on Sunday, have an easier task as they make the trip to first division basement side Recreativo Huelva on Wednesday.
But Huelva produced one of the upsets of the last round when they overturned high-flying Real Betis and the Cup is the Andalucians only realistic chance of glory this season.
Wednesday's remaining tie between Sevilla and Osasuna looks to be the most evenly balanced of all with only two points separating the two sides in the first division standings.