Girona, a top-flight Spanish football club, was sensationally eliminated from the Copa del Rey by a third-tier team on Wednesday. The Catalan side suffered a 2-1 away defeat to Ourense, a club from Spain’s third division.
Ourense had previously knocked out another first-division team, Real Oviedo, in the preceding round.
Playing in Galicia, Álvaro Yuste opened the scoring for the hosts in the first minute. Omar Ouhdadi, a Moroccan substitute, sealed Ourense’s victory with a goal in the 64th minute.
Girona’s lone goal came from Colombian Yaser Asprilla in the 25th minute. He scored on the rebound of his own missed penalty.
The upset for Girona came on a day when several other top-tier clubs also faced significant challenges from lower-division opponents but managed to avoid elimination.
Villarreal, playing against fourth-tier Atlético Antoniano, required a penalty shootout to secure a 5-4 victory after the match ended 1-1 following extra time. Portuguese defender Renato Veiga started for Villarreal in that match.
Similarly, Elche needed 30 minutes of extra time to overcome fourth-tier Quintanar del Rey 2-1. Portuguese midfielder Martim Neto entered the game for Elche late in regular time.
Other first-division teams, including three-time winners Betis and two-time champions Real Sociedad, found less resistance. Betis defeated fourth-tier Torrent 4-1, with Rodrigo Riquelme scoring a hat-trick. Real Sociedad beat Reus 2-0; Portuguese winger Gonçalo Guedes made an appearance in the final quarter hour.
Levante edged fifth-tier Cieza 1-0.
Villarreal, Betis, Real Sociedad, Elche, and Levante joined Getafe, Alavés, Mallorca, and Osasuna in the Round of 32. Those clubs had qualified Tuesday.
Espanyol, Rayo Vallecano, Celta de Vigo, Sevilla, and Valencia are scheduled to play Thursday to conclude the second round.
Spanish champions FC Barcelona, record holders with 32 titles, along with Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao, will enter the competition directly in the Round of 32. These four most decorated clubs in the Copa del Rey are exempt from earlier rounds due to their participation in the Spanish Super Cup.
The Spanish Super Cup is scheduled for January 2026 in Saudi Arabia. This contest marks the 124th edition of the Copa del Rey.