Fede Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Arda Güler, who scored twice, and the highly acclaimed Luka Modric netted in a match where Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappé came onto the pitch in the second half.
The Minera, currently ranked eighth in Spain's fourth division and having caused a stir in the previous cup round by eliminating La Liga side Deportivo Alavés on penalties, were no match for a Madrid side making their debut in this edition of the Copa del Rey. The visitors fielded a makeshift lineup, a reasonable decision given that just three days later they will face Real Mallorca in Saudi Arabia in the Supercopa semifinals.
Interestingly, Valverde was the only player in Carlo Ancelotti's team who retained his spot from the previous match, where Madrid secured a 2-1 victory against Valencia.
In less than three minutes, Fran Martínez denied what appeared to be an opening goal first from Güler and then from Endrick Felipe Moreira in one-on-one situations. It was Valverde who finally punished a series of defensive errors from Minera, scoring in the fifth minute with assistance from Endrick's push and a near-post cross from Brahim Díaz.
The white team continued their momentum, doubling their lead in the 13th minute with a header from Camavinga, who converted from a Fran García cross after already testing Fran Martínez beforehand.
Minera's consistent ball losses, a result of their style of attempting to play out from the back but failing to execute passes, were effectively punished by the Madrid side, who had the match well under control before the quarter-hour mark.
Minera nearly scored soon after, but Omar Perdomo’s midfield shot against an advanced Andriy Lunin failed to find the target.
Madrid did not relent in their approach. Endrick, Brahim, Camavinga, Modric, Valverde, and Lorenzo Aguado all created clear chances, with Güler finally scoring the third goal following an individual run—his shot deflected off Fran Molina, amplifying the visitors' dominance. The first half was a one-sided affair, with Modric receiving warm applause from the Cartagena fans for his every touch of the ball.
The teams went into halftime with the score at 0-3, with Fran Martínez standing out as the best player for Llano del Beal, and the fans behind him performing the wave in the stadium. It was a festive match atmosphere.
The pattern didn’t change in the second half. Brahim created two more chances—including a shot that hit the post—while Endrick struggled to find his mark. Minera responded with a shot from Omar Perdomo, which landed safely in Lunin’s hands. Finally, Modric showcased his class, scoring and further extending the gap, his name echoing powerfully in the stands.
The Madrid onslaught continued, with Fran Martínez preventing a deluge of goals against him. Ancelotti also made four substitutions at once, bringing on Vinicius, Mbappé, Lucas Vázquez, and youth academy player Chema Andrés in the 63rd minute.
In the remaining half-hour, the intensity dropped slightly, as is typical in such scenarios, yet more opportunities piled up in the local area. Güler completed his brace with a pass from Fran García after an incursion from Mbappé. Meanwhile, Endrick, who kept pushing for a goal, left the field without scoring, feeling somewhat disheartened by it.
