Pair rested for Copa clash

Raul Gonzalez and central defender Fernando Hierro will be left out of the squad for Wednesday's Copa del Rey battle with Playas de Jandía.

Coach Vicente Del Bosque and his squad jetted out to Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands yesterday with 12 first-team squad members left behind in Madrid.

Raul and Hierro have been rested as Del Bosque is keen for the pair to recharge their batteries in time for Saturday's game at Alaves.

Meanwhile, international stars Luis Figo, Claude Makelele and Roberto Carlos have returned to the Spanish capital with minor injuries and will not figure in the line-up against Playas.

Striker Elvir Baljic has yet to return from his international duties with Bosnia while Flavio Concecaio, Ivan Helguera, Ivan Campo, Geremi Fotso, Michel Salgado and Aitor Karanka are all nursing injuries of varying degrees.

Del Bosque has been forced to pilfer players from the reserve-team squad and the likes of Raúl Bravo, Valdo, Francisco Pavón, Borja Fernández, Rubén and Oscar Miñambres are all expected to be given a run out in Real's opening game in the Copa.

First-team squad members who travel to the Canary Islands include: Casillas, Savio, Solari, Guti, César, McManaman, Munitis, Morientes, Celades, Zidane and Rivera.