Los Rojiblancos have reached the cup decider for the first time since 2013, with Real Sociedad aiming for the third ever trophy.
Seville’s Estadio de la Cartuja is set to host the 2025/26 Copa del Rey final between Atlético de Madrid and Real Sociedad on Saturday. Los Rojiblancos have reached the cup decider for the first time since 2013, with the Basque side making the final again five years after winning the trophy against Athletic Club. Atlético de Madrid have won the Copa del Rey on 10 occasions, with the 2019/20 triumph being the second time that Real Sociedad lifted the silverware. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet.
Diego Simeone’s side are heading into the final on the back of three straight defeats in LALIGA EA SPORTS, while Los Txuri-urdin have won four of their last seven games across all competitions. In that stretch, Real Sociedad suffered two defeats, including a 3-2 loss at the hands of Atlético de Madrid away at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in early March. In fact, the Basque side haven’t won any of their last nine games against Atleti, whose last defeat to Real Sociedad dates back in 2022, when they secured a 2-0 home victory in the Copa del Rey Round of 16.
The road to this season’s final has been anything but straightforward for either Atlético de Madrid or Real Sociedad, both of whom had to pull off some hard-fought victories in their bid to secure a much-coveted spot in the final.
Three road wins before a tough semi-final tie
Atlético de Madrid’s journey kicked off back in mid-December, with Simeone’s team securing a hard-fought 3-2 victory away at CD Atlético Baleares courtesy of a brace from Antoine Griezmann that sandwiched a goal by Giacomo Raspadori. Qualification to the Round of 16 set up a clash against LALIGA HYPERMOTION side RC Deportivo, who managed to absorb pressure until the hour mark, when Griezmann found the back of the net again to clinch a 1-0 road win.
The venue of the Copa del Rey final hosted a quarter-final duel between Real Betis and Atlético de Madrid, with Ademola Lookman shining on his debut to inspire a 5-0 thrashing of the Andalusian side. Dávid Hancko, Giuliano Simeone, Griezmann and Thiago Almada netted one each, with Lookman recording a goal and an assist as Los Rojiblancos clinched a spot in the semi-finals.
The first leg against FC Barcelona took place on home soil, with Atlético de Madrid scoring four times before the break in a 4-0 victory over the Catalans. The hosts opened the scoring thanks to an own goal from Eric García, with Griezmann, Lookman and Julián Alvarez also getting their names on the scoresheet. Yet, the tie was anything but over, as Marc Bernal bagged a brace and Raphinha netted one of his own in the second leg, with a dominant Barça missing some huge chances to send the game to extra time as Atlético de Madrid secured qualification for the Copa del final thanks to a 4-3 aggregate scoreline.
A long path capped off with a Basque derby triumph
Meanwhile, Real Sociedad’s Copa del Rey adventure began in late October with a 3-0 win at SD Negreira, which was followed by a 2-0 victory at Reus FC Reddis and a 2-1 win at CD Eldense before the turn of the year. A slow start to the season was followed by Real Sociedad’s resurgence under Pellegrino Matarazzo, whose first Copa del Rey game in charge saw CA Osasuna take a two-goal lead before Beñat Turrientes and Igor Zubeldia scored one apiece to send the game to penalties, where Real Sociedad’s backup goalkeeper Unai Marrero made two saves to seal a quarter-final spot.
Los Txuri-urdin didn’t have it easy in the next round either, as Deportivo Alavés were up 2-1 before goals from Gonçalo Guedes and Orri Óskarsson turned the game around in the closing stages to set up a derby tie against Athletic Club in the semi-finals. Five years after beating Los Leones 1-0 in the Copa del Rey decider, Real Sociedad replicated that result across both legs, with Turrientes scoring on the road and Mikel Oyarzabal sealing qualification with a penalty kick at the Reale Arena, to reach Saturday’s final against Simeone’s side.
It now remains to be seen if Atlético de Madrid will manage to win their first Copa del Rey since 2013, or if Real Sociedad can put the finishing touch on their resurgence under Matarazzo with silverware.
