Barcelona's Lionel Messi receives the trophy by Spain's King Felipe after winning the Spanish Copa del Rey final 2021 against Athletic Bilbao. (File photo | AP) 
Football

Spain's top-flight teams play in Copa after World Cup break

Tuesday's games were the first involving top-flight teams in Spain since they stopped playing for the World Cup in Qatar.

Associated Press

MADRID: Villarreal needed a goal in added time to see off fourth-division side Guijuelo 2-1 in the Copa del Rey's round-of-32 on Tuesday.

Arnaut Danjuma tapped in a pass floated into the box by Dani Parejo three minutes into added time for the victory after both players went on in the final minutes of regulation.

Guijuelo, a tiny club in central Spain, took charge through a goal by José Carmona in the 14th. Gerard Moreno equalized for Villarreal from the penalty spot in the 41st.

Spain defender Pau Torres played for Villarreal after returning from the World Cup.

Tuesday's games were the first involving top-flight teams in Spain since they stopped playing for the World Cup in Qatar.

Munir El Haddadi scored twice to give Getafe a 2-0 win at Diocesano.

Athletic Bilbao beat fellow Basque club Sestao River 1-0. Elche won 3-0 at Deportivo Guadalajara, Mallorca won 1-0 at Real Unión, and Espanyol won 1-0 at Atlético Paso in the Canary Islands.

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Real Betis and Valencia have byes until the round of 16 because they qualified to play in the Spanish Super Cup.

The Spanish league restarts play on Dec. 29.

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