Madrid Rests Stars and Still Whips Lowly Deportiva Minera 5-0 in Copa Del Rey

Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder #10 Luka Modrić runs back with the ball after scoring a goal during the Spanish league football match between Valencia CF and Real Madrid CF at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia on January 3, 2025. (AFP)
Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder #10 Luka Modrić runs back with the ball after scoring a goal during the Spanish league football match between Valencia CF and Real Madrid CF at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia on January 3, 2025. (AFP)
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Madrid Rests Stars and Still Whips Lowly Deportiva Minera 5-0 in Copa Del Rey

Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder #10 Luka Modrić runs back with the ball after scoring a goal during the Spanish league football match between Valencia CF and Real Madrid CF at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia on January 3, 2025. (AFP)
Real Madrid's Croatian midfielder #10 Luka Modrić runs back with the ball after scoring a goal during the Spanish league football match between Valencia CF and Real Madrid CF at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia on January 3, 2025. (AFP)

Real Madrid rested most of its big stars and still hammered fourth tier Deportivo Minera 5-0 to reach the last 16 of the Copa del Rey on Monday.

Vinicius Jr., Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and goalkeeper Ferland Mendy all started on the bench as coach Carlo Ancelotti gave a debut to 17-year-old central defender Diego Aguado, who lined up alongside his elder brother Lorenzo.

Endrick, Brahim Díaz and Arda Güler all got rare starts up front for Real and the visitors took just four minutes to score when Federico Valverde volleyed home.

Eduardo Camavinga headed a second after 12 minutes and a slight deflection helped Güler get a third a quarter of an hour later.

Minera reached the last 32 after beating La Liga side Alaves in the previous round but there was no way back against a vastly superior club that has won this trophy 20 times, especially when Ancelotti gave Vinicius and Mbappé a second half runout.

Captain Luka Modrić added the fourth nine minutes into the second half and Güler got the fifth with two minutes remaining.



Habib Becomes 1st Lebanese Player in Open Era to Play in Grand Slam Men's Singles Draw

FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
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Habib Becomes 1st Lebanese Player in Open Era to Play in Grand Slam Men's Singles Draw

FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)

Hady Habib isn't likely to find anything too daunting at the Australian Open now that he's become the first Lebanese player in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam men's singles draw.
He advanced through three rounds of the qualifying at Melbourne Park, winning his third match in a tiebreaker 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8) over Clement Chidekh of France on Thursday to secure a place in the main draw of the tournament that starts Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
It continued a rapid rise for Habib, who made his Olympic debut last year in Paris, running into eventual silver medalist Carlos Alcaraz, a four-time major winner, in the first round. It was two sets he'll long remember.
Late last year, he made history at Temuco, Chile by becoming the first ATP Challenger Tour champion from Lebanon.
The 26-year-old Habib was born in Houston, Texas and moved to Lebanon as a young child, learning how to play there. He returned to the US to pursue a pro career and feels now like he's representing of the spirit of Lebanese people.
“I know it’s just a sport, but I feel like representing Lebanon and sacrificing all the things I had to do to get here, it kind of resembles how our nation has fought back,” Habib told Australia's SBS News this week.
His personal success has come at a difficult time during the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
“Every morning, I was waking up during that challenging time, I was contacting all my family members, my friends, making sure they’re okay,” Habib told SBS News. "My heart’s just shattered to see what’s happening to our country and people.
“It was a hard time mentally for me, knowing that you can’t do anything to help, but I’m glad things are calming down now. Hopefully we’ll find some peace.”
Habib's first-round opponent at Melbourne Park will be determined when all qualifiers are inserted into the main draw.