The Copa del Rey is a very prestigious football competition involving Spanish clubs and has been active since 1903. It has changed its nomenclature over the years, from being called the Copa del Ayuntamiento de Madrid to the Copa de Su Majestad El Rey Alfonso XIII (His Majesty King Alfonso XIII's Cup). During the second republic it was renamed Copa del Presidente de la República or simply Copa de España. When the 2nd Republic fell and Franco's dictatorship began, it was renamed the Copa de H.E. El Generalísimo. With the arrival of democracy, it became known as the Copa del Rey (King's Cup).
Competition format
It is convenient to know the peculiar format of this cup to make a 100% reliable prediction of the Copa del Rey. Every year more than 100 teams take part. Up to the quarter-finals the matches will be played on the field of the team of the lower category in a single match. In case of the same category it will be a pure draw, on the field of the first team that comes out in the draw.
For this reason, this tournament is known as the KO Tournament. Many La Liga teams are drawn against teams from the second or lower division. The winner of the cup qualifies for the UEFA Europa League the following season. If they have already qualified for Europe by virtue of their position in LaLiga, the Europa League place is awarded to the highest-ranked team in the league that has not yet qualified.
