Real Madrid are out of the Copa del Rey after failing to overturn one of the worst results in their illustrious history. Village side Alcorcon went through 4-1 on aggregate after the most expensively assembled team in history could only beat the third-tier side 1-0 at the Bernabeu Stadium.
Rafael Van der Vaart scored in the 81st minute to prevent another humiliating result but the plucky Alcorcon players worked tirelessly to keep out the galacticos. Madrid enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession but could not find a way through against a team whose combined salaries would not match the earnings of any one of their first team stars.
Alcorcon were only nine minutes from compounding Madrid’s misery with a hard-earned draw but remarkably, almost equalised just minutes after Van der Vaart’s strike. Defender Nagore found himself through on goal but Jerzy Dudek spared his side’s blushes with a crucial block.
Dudek was not the busier of the 'keepers and Juanma worked miracles in goal for Alcorcon. Unaccustomed to facing multi-million pound strikers, the 'keeper upped his game and pulled off a string of saves to deny the side who currently sit second in La Liga.
Manuel Pellegrini had sent out a strong team as his side aimed to overturn the 4-0 deficit from the first leg. Kaka, Raul, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Gonzalo Higuain were all in the starting line-up but the global names were continually frustrated by players almost unknown in their own country.
Alcorcon rode their luck at times and were spared a tense finish when Higuain rattled the crossbar with just minutes on the clock but Madrid could not make their superiority count. The nine-times European champions had chances from the first minute to the last but were undone by their poor showing in the first leg two weeks ago.
Madrid had fielded a strong side in that game but were humiliated by the Segunda Division B side who were 3-0 up by half-time. When many had expected a second-half revival, Alcorcon had put the gloss on one of the most remarkable results in years by adding a fourth in the second half and taking a commanding lead to the Bernabeu.
Coach Manuel Pellegrini was under pressure following the shock result and will come under intense scrutiny again after failing to overturn the tie. Sporting director Jorge Valdano had apologised to the club’s fans after the game and said it was “a lesson in humility”.
When the final whistle blew in the second leg, Madrid fans waved white hankerchiefs, a traditional sign of supporter displeasure and a warning that Real will have to improve their performances against bigger and better sides than tiny Alcorcon.
Last updated: 11 November 2009, 00:25
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