Real Sociedad defeats Athletic Bilbao to face Atletico Madrid in Copa del Rey final

Real Sociedad once again proved its superiority in the Basque derby, eliminating Athletic Bilbao in the semifinal of the Copa del Rey. The second leg at Anoeta provided plenty of excitement, though fans had to wait until the very end of the match for the only goal. The decisive moment came in the 85th minute when the referee awarded a penalty for a foul in Bilbao's box. Captain Mikel Oyarzabal stepped up and with a confident strike secured a 1-0 victory for his team. This success means Pellegrino Matarazzo's squad will fight for the trophy exactly five years after their last triumph in this competition. The rivalry between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad, known as the Basque derby, dates back to the early 20th century and is one of the most iconic clashes in Spanish football.The opponent for the Basque team in the final will be Atletico Madrid. Interestingly, in the upcoming final match, the Madrid side will act as the formal home team. This decision stems from the fact that the capital club is older than its rivals from San Sebastian—a tradition strictly adhered to by the Spanish federation when organizing finals on neutral ground. The match will be played at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville, but the atmosphere around the event is already intensifying. Well-known journalist Manu Carreno publicly criticized ticket prices, accusing organizers of "robbing fans" due to the extremely high cost of entry tickets and accommodation in the Andalusian capital. The semifinal defeat of Athletic Bilbao is causing significant controversy among refereeing circles. Inaki Williams, the striker for the Bilbao team, openly questioned the referee's decision to award a penalty so late in the match in a post-game interview. He claimed the physical contact in the box was too weak to indicate a "clear foul." Meanwhile, Real Sociedad coach Pellegrino Matarazzo praised the stadium atmosphere and his players' determination, emphasizing they deserved this advancement through their consistency in defensive play. The final promises to be a clash of two extremely different styles of play—the pragmatism of Diego Simeone and the offensive finesse of the Basque team. „Fue un partido muy difícil, pero este equipo tiene un corazón enorme y sabíamos que nuestra oportunidad llegaría.” (It was a very difficult match, but this team has a huge heart and we knew our chance would come.) — Mikel Oyarzabal