Real Sociedad advanced to the Copa del Rey final after an exciting victory over Athletic Bilbao. The decisive 1-0 goal came from a penalty converted by Mikel Oyarzabal in the 85th minute of the match. In the decisive clash scheduled for April in Seville, the Basques will face Atletico Madrid. This is the first final between these teams in nearly four decades, giving the rivalry a historical dimension.

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Real Sociedad San Sebastian secured a place in the Copa del Rey final by eliminating their biggest rival, Athletic Bilbao, in the semifinal two-legged tie. The decisive second leg at the Anoeta stadium ended with a modest but extremely important 1-0 victory for the hosts. The only goal of the match was scored by Mikel Oyarzabal, who kept his cool in the 85th minute and successfully converted a penalty. This situation sparked considerable controversy in the visitors' camp. Iñaki Williams, the star of the Bilbao team, publicly questioned the justification for awarding the penalty at such a crucial moment, calling the referee's decision debatable due to the interpretation of a physical clash in the penalty area. The opponent for the Basques in the grand final will be Atletico Madrid. The team led by Diego Simeone has been waiting for this title for years, and in this year's edition, they are showing solid form, evidenced by the presence of stars like Antoine Griezmann in the squad. According to official announcements, Atletico will play the final as the home team, due to the club's seniority in the Spanish federation hierarchy. The match will take place at the La Cartuja Olympic Stadium in Seville, which has hosted decisive matches for this trophy for years. Media are already predicting huge ticket demand, though there are critical voices regarding their high prices. The Copa del Rey, officially known as the Copa del Rey, is the oldest football competition in Spain, inaugurated in 1903. Real Sociedad has won this trophy twice in its history, most recently in 2020, when they also defeated Athletic Bilbao in a final postponed due to the pandemic. For Real Sociedad, this advancement confirms the excellent work of the coach and squad stability. Mikel Oyarzabal once again became the hero of San Sebastian, repeating his feat from a few years ago. Meanwhile, for Athletic Bilbao, the defeat is painful, as this club is known for its deep cup tradition and numerous finals in recent years, most of which, however, ended in failure.

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