Real Sociedad have secured their place in the Copa del Rey final against Atletico Madrid after edging Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao 1-0 at the Reale Arena, completing a 2-0 aggregate victory.
The Basque derby began with a near-perfect start for Athletic Bilbao, as Alex Berenguer’s early header narrowly missed the target in just the second minute.
Both sides showed attacking intent throughout, with Sociedad’s Carlos Soler testing goalkeeper Alex Padilla with a superbly struck free-kick that required an incredible one-handed save.
Opportunities were scarce, but leaders emerged for both teams in Inaki Williams for Athletic and Mikel Oyarzabal for Sociedad, guiding their sides through tense moments.
Soler also had a glaring chance just before halftime, yet his effort was mistimed with only Padilla to beat.
After surrendering two-thirds of possession in the first half, Athletic came out stronger after the break, threatening to level the tie.
Williams twisted past Sergio Gomez before the defender recovered to block a near-certain goal. Moments later, Gomez was again crucial, thwarting Oihan Sancet’s breakaway with a timely intervention.
Athletic continued to press, with Berenguer firing another effort wide, leaving them vulnerable to Sociedad’s swift counterattacks.
Ultimately, it was Oyarzabal who delivered the decisive blow, calmly converting a penalty with just four minutes remaining, his composure unshaken by Padilla’s antics.
The victory gives La Real a chance to claim the Copa del Rey for the fourth time, their first triumph since the 2020 edition staged in 2021.
It also marks their first final in front of fans since 1988, setting the stage for a historic showdown with Atletico Madrid.
