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• Simeone delighted with Le Normand return after traumatic brain injury

  Diego Simeone was delighted that he was able to welcome defender Robin Le Normand back to the starting XI for Atletico Madrid's 3-1 Copa del Rey victory over Cacereno.

  Le Normand had not played since his side's 1-1 draw at home to city rivals Real Madrid in September, in which he suffered a severe head injury following a collision with Aurelien Tchouameni and required extensive treatment on the pitch.

  Thursday's match against fourth-tier opposition was his ninth appearance since joining the club from Real Sociedad in the summer and Simeone was pleased to see the Spain international back on the pitch.

  "We are very happy that he is back with the team," Simeone said.

  "It is normal that he needs that time to get back to playing, he will need that time playing, training and competing to be at his best. We are waiting for him and we need him, he is a very important player for us."

  The match itself was not as straightforward as Atleti would have liked, having gone a goal down after half an hour.

  It took an 83rd-minute Clement Lenglet goal to draw level before an effort from Julian Alvarez and an Adri Perez own-goal in stoppage time secured Atleti's passage through to the next round.

  Having taken until the 81st minute to get ahead in their 2-0 victory over sixth-tier Vic in the previous round, Simeone explained he had been expecting it to be a tough test.

  "We had been through it with Vic. They are not easy, Girona, Villarreal, Espanyol have been eliminated. It is not easy. The teams have enormous enthusiasm, they work together as a team, they get a goal that raises their enthusiasm. It is not easy to keep it up until the end," he said.

  "The game was as expected, a great cup game, with a very hard-working opponent. When you show little decisiveness you run the risk of losing. We have to improve in that part."

• Misfiring Mbappe vows to respond as Real Madrid brace for Girona clash

  Kylian Mbappe is firmly under the spotlight after missing his second penalty in a week, but he has vowed to bounce back.

  Real Madrid travel to Girona on Saturday to face last year's surprise package in LaLiga.

  Madrid were left licking their wounds after a 2-1 loss at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, their fourth defeat in the last seven games in all competitions.

  Los Blancos, who are missing a host of players through injury including talisman Vinicius Junior, missed a golden opportunity to close the gap on leaders Barcelona, who they trail by four points with a game in hand.

  Their absentee list also includes Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao, the latter two out for the season with ACL tears, but perhaps Madrid's biggest concern has been the form of Mbappe.

  The France captain and World Cup winner arrived from Paris St Germain with sky-high expectations to boost an already stellar squad, but so far struggled to settle, looking tentative and out of sync with the rest of the team.

  While he has scored 10 goals in all competitions, his all-round game has often been poor, and he was out of sorts again against Bilbao.

  His penalty miss was a tame effort that made it easy for goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala to palm away; almost a carbon copy of the spot-kick he missed the previous week in Madrid's Champions League loss to Liverpool.

  Ancelotti admitted after the game that Mbappe was not in his best form and the France captain vowed to react.

  "Bad result. A big mistake in a match where every detail counts. I take full responsibility for it. A difficult moment but it's the best time to change this situation and show who I am," Mbappe posted on Instagram.

  After a stuttering start to the season, Girona have picked up form. They are on a four-game unbeaten run in the league and are eighth in the LaLiga standings on 22 points.

  Yet their growing optimism suffered a blow on Wednesday as they were shocked in a 4-3 penalty-shootout defeat in the Copa del Rey by 10-man fourth-division side Logrones, who knocked them out in the second round.

  Madrid have won their last two meetings with Girona in LaLiga, keeping clean sheets in both, and can make it three wins in a row against the Catalan side for the first time in the top flight.

• Man City to face Juventus at revamped Club World Cup

  Manchester City will launch their Club World Cup title defence against Moroccan side Wydad, while also facing Juventus in the group stage of the revamped tournament.

  Pep Guardiola's side are the reigning champions having lifted the title in 2023, following their 4-0 victory over Brazilian club Fluminense in the final.

  City are also joined by Al-Ain of the United Arab Emirates in Group G of the 32-team tournament in 2025, which will take place in the United States between June 15 and July 13.

  Reigning Champions League holders Real Madrid have been drawn alongside Red Bull Salzburg, Pachuca and Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal in Group H, meaning Kylian Mbappe and Neymar could be in line for a reunion.

  That duo's former club, Paris Saint-Germain, are joined by Atletico Madrid in Group B.

  Chelsea will play Flamengo, Club Leon and Esperance Sportive de Tunisie in Group D, as Bayern Munich and Benfica are paired together in Group C.

  Lionel Messi's Inter Miami were somewhat contentiously included. They won MLS' Supporters' Shield, yet were dumped out of the playoffs by Atlanta United.

  Miami will face Porto, Palmeiras and Al-Ahly in Group A.

  Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al-Ahly, Inter Miami.

  Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle Sounders.

  Group C: Bayern Munich, Benfica, Boca Juniors, Auckland City.

  Group D: Flamengo, Chelsea, Club Leon, Esperance Sportive de Tunis.

  Group E: River Plate, Inter, Monterrey, Urawa Red Diamonds.

  Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan HD, Mamelodi Sundowns.

  Group G: Man City, Juventus, Wydad AC, Al-Ain.

  Group H: Real Madrid, Red Bull Salzburg, Al-Hilal, Pachuca.