Carlo Ancelotti used Real Madrid's visit to Xàtiva as an opportunity to play the team's promising youngsters, like Jesé and Morata, who are normally left out in favour of the team's big international stars.

The Italian's line-up for this 'Copa del Rey' game marked a milestone in the recent history of 'Los Blancos': it had been nine years since Real Madrid last started with nine Spaniards. The last time it happened was a game in Tenerife (2-1 victory), also in Spain's cup competition.

The only foreigners in the starting eleven (Casillas; Carvajal, Nacho, Sergio Ramos, Arbeloa; Casemiro, Illarramendi; Di María, Isco, Jesé; Morata) were the Brazilian Casemiro and Argentina's Di María, and it could also be pointed out that the former came through the team's youth setup in that he spent last year with Real Madrid Castilla.

That other 'Spanish eleven' that played almost a decade ago in Tenerife also featured massive stars playing alongside some less known players. The starting eleven on that occasion was as follows: César; Arbeloa, Helguera, Mejía, Raúl Bravo; Borja, Celades, Javi García, Solari; Owen and Morientes.

Although expected, the other notable element of the 'Blancos' team was the presence between the sticks of Iker Casillas, who will start for the whole Copa del Rey, and who was hardly pressured by Olímpic during the game, despite all the energy that the home side ran out with.