Barcelona and Real Madrid are on course to meet in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey after the draw for the last 16 and latter rounds was made yesterday.
Spain’s two biggest clubs breezed through fourth-round encounters against lower league opposition this week using largely second-string line-ups, but will have to dust off their biggest stars should they meet in the last eight.
Yesterday’s fifth-round draw pitted reigning champions Madrid against Malaga, while last year’s beaten finalists Barca will play Osasuna.
Elsewhere, there is an eye-catching encounter between Valencia and Sevilla, Real Sociedad meet Real Mallorca and Espanyol face Segunda Division outfit Cordoba.
Second-tier Alcorcon take on Levante, while Racing Santander and Athletic Bilbao face third-tier opposition in the form of Mirandes and Albacete Balompie respectively.
The last-16 ties are played over two legs, with the first match on January 4 and the return on January 11.
The quarter-finals will be held on January 18 and 25, with the semis scheduled for February 1 and 8.
Fifth round draw:
Mirandes vs Racing Santander;
Albacete Balompie vs Athletic Bilbao;
Alcorcon vs Levante;
Cordoba vs Espanyol;
Real Sociedad vs Real Mallorca;
Valencia vs Sevilla;
Barcelona vs Osasuna;
Real Madrid vs Malaga.