Villarreal CF begin their Copa del Rey campaign on Tuesday 27 October with a trip to Mallorca to face lower-league side Manacor. The round of 128 tie will kick off at 21:00 local time at the Na Capellera stadium, where the hosts have installed temporary stands and new lighting for the occasion.
The main concern for the Yellow Submarine's manager surrounds Ilias Akhomach. The winger missed Monday's training session after finishing Saturday's 2-1 La Liga defeat to Alaves with physical discomfort. "Akhomach (undisclosed) missed Villarreal's training session Monday after finishing Saturday's 2-1 La Liga defeat against Alaves with physical discomfort, raising doubts about his availability for Tuesday's Copa del Rey clash against Manacor," the medical report stated. In positive news, Nicolas Pepe has returned to group training. "Pepe resumed training Monday while wearing a protective mask following recent eye surgery," the club confirmed.
Villarreal arrive at this match following an important derby victory over Valencia (1-2) last Thursday, a result that leaves them tenth in La Liga with 12 points from a record of three wins, three draws and four losses. The team has shown a potent attack, scoring 15 goals in 10 games, but their defence has conceded 14, for a goal difference of +1. Their recent form has been inconsistent, with just two wins, one draw and two losses in their last five matches across all competitions. That run includes the win over Valencia, a 4-3 defeat to Liverpool, a 0-0 draw with Elche, a 3-1 victory over Napoli and a 1-0 loss to Real Madrid. The next league fixture is at home against bottom-placed Espanyol on Friday 30 October, so rotations are expected in the starting lineup against Manacor. In the table, the side finds itself 15 points behind leaders Barcelona.
The opponents, CF Manacor, play in Group XI of the Tercera Federación. They started their league season with five consecutive wins but then recorded a loss and a draw, amassing 16 points from seven matches. For the Balearic club, this match is a historic event, with a fan event scheduled from 18:30 featuring a DJ and food. Additionally, tennis champion Rafael Nadal, a native of the town, received a commemorative centenary plaque and a shirt for his son, having attended a similar match against Las Palmas in 2023. A commemorative match shirt is on sale for 35 euros.
With an eye on progression in the cup and maintaining their competitive rhythm, Villarreal will aim to handle this first hurdle smoothly before returning to league matters. The team will hope striker Georges Mikautadze, who scored the last-minute winner against Valencia, can continue to provide a clinical edge.
