Madrid: Real Madrid’s forgotten man Fabio Coentrao is set to make his return following seven months out injured after being named in the squad for Wednesday’s Copa del Rey clash with third-tier Cultural Leonesa, kick-off 11pm UAE time.
“Coentrao will be in the squad. It is important that he features because he has recovered and is doing very well,” said coach Zinedine Zidane at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of the last 32, first leg in Leon, northern Spain.
Portuguese international left-back Coentrao, 28, was loaned to Monaco last season but suffered a hamstring injury in April that cut short his stint in the principality and forced him to undergo surgery.
Zidane will rotate his squad for the game against a side still unbeaten in the third tier this season and Kiko Casilla will start in goal instead of first-choice goalkeeper Keylor Navas.
Real, who have won the Copa del Rey 19 times, were thrown out of last season’s competition after fielding the ineligible Denis Cheryshev in a tie with Cadiz.
