Real Sociedad ended a five-match away winless streak against Athletic Bilbao (D1, L4) with a hard-fought 1-0 victory in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final.
Athletic, making their sixth semi-final appearance in recent seasons, faced their Basque rivals just 10 days after a thrilling 1-1 draw in La Liga.
A tense atmosphere greeted fans at a packed San Mamés, setting the stage for a cautious opening.
Ernesto Valverde’s side threatened first when Iñigo Lekue’s clever run down the right created a header opportunity for Gorka Guruzeta, but his effort was comfortably held by Álex Remiro.
Sociedad responded soon after, with Pablo Marín breaking through on goal, only to see his shot saved by Álex Padilla.
Controversy struck late in the first half when a potential penalty for La Real was overturned by VAR after Duje Ćaleta-Car’s header appeared to strike Aymeric Laporte’s arm.
The second half started with near-misses for Sociedad. Padilla made a smart stop to deny Mikel Oyarzabal, and Marín’s follow-up from close range rattled the post.
However, the breakthrough finally came in the 62nd minute: Gonçalo Guedes controlled a pass from Carlos Soler and slid the ball to Beñat Turrientes, who calmly finished into an empty net.
Athletic struggled to respond. Their best chance came when Nico Williams’ header from Lekue’s cross sailed wide, highlighting their inefficiency in front of goal.
Unlike their recent league encounter, the Lions could not force a dramatic finish at home and have now won just one of their last six home matches (D2, L3).
With the second leg set for March 4, Valverde’s side can be pleased with an 11-game unbeaten run across all competitions (W8, D3) and hold a valuable advantage going into the return fixture.
