Real Madrid will have to travel to Africa for their Copa del Rey round-of-32 fixture.
Los Blancos, who have won the competition 19 times, last doing so in 2014, have drawn Spanish third-tier side UD Melilla in the latest round of the competition.
The first leg of the tie will be played at the 12,000 capacity Alvarez Claro Stadium on 31 October.
Where is Melilla?
via World Atlas
Melilla is a small Spanish enclave of around 4.7 square miles on the north coast of Morocco, with a population of about 86,000, and is one of two permanently inhabited Spanish cities in mainland Africa, with the other being Ceuta.
Both cities surrounded by “anti-migrant” razor wire fences and are coveted by neighbouring Morocco.
How far apart are the two stadiums?
Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu stadium will play host to the second leg of this Copa del Rey tie on 5 December. The famous home of the Spanish giants lies a staggering 460 miles away from Melilla, with the players facing a flight time of just under two hours for a domestic game.
Who are Melilla?
UD Melilla were originally founded 1943 and then reformed in 1976. The club has spent most of its existence hovering between the Spanish second and fourth tiers with their highest-ever league finish coming in 1962/63 when the club finished 11th in the second division.
The post Explained: Why Real Madrid will travel to Africa in the Copa del Rey appeared first on Squawka News.
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