The 2020–21 Copa del Rey was the 119th staging of the Copa del Rey (including two seasons where two rival editions were played). The winners were assured a place in the 2021–22 UEFA Europa League group stage. Both the winners and the runners-up qualified for the four-team 2022 Supercopa de España.
Real Sociedad were the defending champions, having won the postponed final of the previous edition, which was held two weeks before the 2021 final.[1] They were already eliminated by Real Betis in the round of 16 of the 2020–21 edition, before the previous final had been played. Barcelona won the final 4–0 against Athletic Bilbao for a record 31st Copa del Rey title.[2][3]
As across Spain, match times up to 25 October 2020 and from 28 March 2021 were CEST (UTC+2). Times on interim ("winter") days were CET (UTC+1).
Schedule and format
On 14 September 2020, the RFEF released the calendar of the competition and confirmed the format of the previous season would remain.[4]
New entries: All qualified teams except the four participants in the Supercopa de España. Opponents seeding: Teams from La Liga faced teams from the lowest divisions. The four remaining teams faced teams from Segunda División B. Local team seeding: Match played at home of team in lower division. Knock-out tournament type:Single match.
Second round
18 December 2020
6 January 2021
28
60 → 32
Opponents seeding: Teams from lowest divisions faced La Liga teams. Local team seeding: Match played at home of team in lower division. Knock-out tournament type: Single match
Round of 32
8 January 2021
16 January 2021
16
32 → 16
New entries: Clubs participating in Supercopa de España gained entry. Opponents seeding: Teams from lowest divisions faced La Liga teams. Local team seeding: Match played at home of team in lower division. Knock-out tournament type: Single match.
Round of 16
22 January 2021
27 January 2021
8
16 → 8
Opponents seeding: Teams from lowest divisions faced La Liga teams. Local team seeding: Match played at home of team in lower division. Knock-out tournament type: Single match.
Quarter-finals
29 January 2021
3 February 2021
4
8 → 4
Opponents seeding: Luck of the draw. Local team seeding: Match played at home of team in lower division. Knock-out tournament type: Single match.
Semi-finals
5 February 2021
10 February 2021
2
4 → 2
Opponents seeding: Luck of the draw. Local team seeding: Luck of the draw. Knock-out tournament type:Double match.
^Titánico played this game at Nuevo Nalón instead of their regular stadium Las Tolvas, in Laviana, as it did not have floodlights.
First round
The first round was played by all the qualified teams, except for the four participants of the 2021 Supercopa de España. The ten winners from the previous preliminary round were paired with ten teams from La Liga. The remaining six teams and the 22 teams of the Segunda División were paired with the four Copa Federación semi-finalists, the fourteen teams that competed in the Tercera División and ten teams from Segunda B. Finally, the remaining 36 teams from Segunda B were paired between them. In the case of opponents from the same division, the home advantage was decided by whichever team was drawn first; otherwise, the match was held in the stadium of the lower division team. A total of 56 games were played, with 112 participating teams, from 15 to 30 December 2020.[5]
Stadium: Nou Camp Referee: Francisco José Ortega Herrera
^Tomares did not play its game in its main stadium San Sebastián, in Tomares, as it did not meet the requirements to broadcast the match.
^Cantolagua did not play its game in its main stadium Municipal, in Sangüesa, as it did not meet the requirements to broadcast the match.
^Quintanar del Rey did not play its game in its main stadium San Marcos, in Quintanar del Rey, for avoiding to play behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
^Racing Murcia did not play its game in its main stadium Municipal de Dolores de Pacheco, in Torre-Pacheco, as it did not meet the requirements to broadcast the match.
^Buñol did not play its game in its main stadium Beltrán Báguena, in Buñol, as it did not meet the requirements to broadcast the match.
^Rincón did not play its game in its main stadium Francisco Romero, in Rincón de la Victoria, as it did not meet the requirements to broadcast the match.
^Racing Rioja did not play its game in its main stadium El Salvador, in Logroño, as it did not meet the requirements to broadcast the match.
^Llanera did not play its game in its main stadium Pepe Quimarán, in Llanera, as it did not meet the requirements to broadcast the match.
^The match, originally scheduled for 16 December 2020, was postponed due to a number of RB Linense players and staff being tested positive for COVID-19.
^The match, originally scheduled for 16 December 2020, was postponed due to a number of SD Logroñés players being tested positive for COVID-19.
^The match, originally scheduled for 16 December 2020, was postponed due to a number of Poblense players being tested positive for COVID-19.
Second round
Draw
The draw was held on 18 December in the RFEF headquarters in Las Rozas. Teams were divided into four pots according to their division in the 2020–21 season. Tercera División teams were drawn with others from La Liga, while the remaining Segunda B and Tercera teams were drawn with teams from La Liga and Segunda División. Matches were played at the home of the lower-ranked team.
The four participant teams of the 2021 Supercopa de España were drawn with the teams from the lowest category. After them, the remaining teams from the lowest categories faced the rest of La Liga teams. Matches were played at the home of the lower-ranked team, with exceptions due to Storm Filomena noted below. The draw was held on 8 January 2021.
^Given the impossibility of being able to play the match at the Fernando Torres stadium in Fuenlabrada due to the consequences of Storm Filomena.
^Given the impossibility of being able to play the match at the Butarque stadium in Leganés due to the consequences of Storm Filomena.
^Given the impossibility of being able to play the match at the Vallecas stadium in Madrid due to the consequences of Storm Filomena.
^Given the impossibility of being able to play the match at the Santo Domingo stadium in Alcorcón due to the consequences of Storm Filomena.
Round of 16
Draw
Teams of La Liga were firstly drawn against the teams from Segunda and Segunda B, with those matches to be played at the Segunda/Segunda B teams' homes, and then the remaining six teams of La Liga were drawn against each other. The draw was held on 22 January 2021.
All eight teams were in one pot, and the home team was decided by the luck of the draw. As the only remaining Segunda División side, Almería hosted its opponent regardless, as per the rules. The draw was held on 29 January 2021.
