Ronaldo among star names out of Sevilla cup clash

Real Madrid will be on the hunt for a Spanish-record 40-match unbeaten run on Thursday without the assistance of Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese forward, who was named Best FIFA Men's Player on Monday, was not selected in the squad for Los Blancos' Copa del Rey Round of 16 second-leg trip to Sevilla. Neither were Luka Modric, James Rodriguez, and Isco.

Pepe, meanwhile, remains sidelined with a calf issue.

"He could travel or not. But nothing will change," manager Zinedine Zidane told ESPN FC's Dermot Corrigan of Ronaldo's absence. "Our idea remains that all the players are important, even having won 3-0 in the first leg."

Real Madrid holds a 3-0 advantage over Sevilla heading into the reverse fixture, and has been able to draft in Sergio Ramos, Mateo Kovacic, and Lucas Vazquez after their respective fitness concerns. Lucas Silva and Gareth Bale remain long-term absentees.

Sevilla was runner-up to Barcelona in last season's Copa del Rey, while Real Madrid was shamefully turfed from the tournament for fielding an ineligible player in Denis Cheryshev against Cadiz in the Round of 32.