Like Real Madrid before them, Villarreal have been knocked out of this year's Copa del Rey competition by a third division side.

The Champions League hopefuls were held to a 1-1 home draw last Wednesday by lowly Poli Ejido having been trounced 5-0 in the first leg.

Last night, Sevilla avoided the same fate by sticking four past Ponferradina, who went into the game defending a slender one-goal lead.

Recreativo, Málaga, Numancia and Getafe all perished to other first division sides while Espanyol, Valladolid, Deportivo, Almería, Real Betis and Racing Santander came through unscathed against sides from the second division.

In yesterday's other game, former Birmingham striker, Walter Pandiani, scored the only goal of the tie to put bottom-of-the-table Numancia through to the last sixteen after intercepting a slack defensive clearance by Getafe keeper Jacobo (photo) fifteen minutes before the interval.

Osasuna 1-0 Getafe (1-0 agg)
Sevilla 4-0 Ponferradina (4-1 agg)
Valladolid 2-2 Hércules (7-3 agg)
Barcelona 1-0 Benidorm (2-0 agg)
Valencia 3-0 Portugalete (7-1 agg)
Atletico Madrid 0-0 Orihuela (1-0 agg)
Real Madrid 4-3 Real Unión (6-6 agg)
Rayo Vallecano 0-3 Almería (1-5 agg)
Deportivo 2-0 Elche (4-0 agg)
Espanyol 3-0 Celta (5-2 agg)
Racing 2-0 Murcia (3-2 agg)
Villarreal 1-1 Pol. Ejido (1-6 agg)
Mallorca 2-0 Málaga (3-1 agg)
Sporting 2-0 Numancia (3-0 agg)
Recreativo 2-1 Athletic (2-3 agg)
Betis 2-0 Castellón (4-0 agg)