Real Sociedad and Athletic Club They are looking for a place in the final of the Copa del Rey this Wednesday. He Reale Arena of San Sebastian will witness the second round of the semifinals of the KO tournament between people from Bilbao and people from San Sebastian.
The ‘txuri-urdin’ team arrives at the event with an advantage thanks to its 0-1 victory in San Mamés in the first leg. Turrientes’ goal It gives a minimum income to the San Sebastián team, who start as favorites in the definition of a tie in which everything is yet to be decided.
Both sets arrive in different dynamics, but equal on points in the League (35) and with the Cup as the main objective to change the course of their respective seasons.
The ‘Matarazzo effect’ places Real Sociedad as favorites
It is a derby and a Cup semi-final in which anything can happen, but feelings say that Real Sociedad starts as favorite to get into the final of the cup tournament. Not only because of the result of the first leg, but because of the dynamics of both teams.
The ‘Matarazzo effect’ It continues undiluted in San Sebastián, installed in a state of happiness since the arrival of the North American to the Reale Arena bench. And the numbers don’t lie. The ‘txuri-urdin’ cast He has only lost one of the twelve games that he has played since ‘Rino’ was his coach. That match was also against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu after the first leg of this tie.
The American coach has completely changed the face of the San Sebastian team, which arrives at the event after adding a new victory in the Leaguethis time in Mallorca’s field thanks to a goal from Carlos Soler (0-1).
Matarazzo has turned Real Sociedad into a direct and vertical team and has managed to bring out a great version of several of its mainstays, such as Oyarzabal, Guedes or Soler himself.
In the first leg, the San Sebastián team played one of the best games of the seasonwas superior to Athletic and only Álex Padilla, Athletic’s goalkeeper, prevented the semifinal from traveling to Donosti for sentencing.
“It is our responsibility to understand how important the game is for the city, but it is 90 minutes of football”declared Matarazzo in the press conference prior to the meeting.
The coach will not be able to count on the injured for this important appointment Rupérez, Kubo and Odriozola. Nor will it be Karikaburu by technical decision. Who has entered the call is Orri Óskarssonwho missed the duel against Mallorca due to discomfort in his soleus.
Athletic, looking for a comeback that could turn their season around
Athletic Club faces what is surely the most important match of the season to date. Turning the tie around could mean a turning point in the seasonone of the most complicated in recent times for the Bilbao team.
Although the season has not gone as they would have liked in Bilbao, the truth is that Athletic can still change its fortunes this campaign. Right now it occupies ninth position in the League and is five points behind Celtaa team that occupies sixth place and has access to the Europa League.
Their chances of fighting to play again in Europe and access to the Cup final would give the red and white fans an high for the end of the campaign.
It is true that the feelings are still not good on the field, but the results have improved in recent weeks. Ernesto Valverde’s team, which has just tied in Vallecas, They have only lost one of their last seven gamesprecisely against Real in the first leg of the semifinal.
The coach explained that difference at a press conference: “We have recovered players and it hasn’t been long, but we have been adding points. We are fine and our goal is to try to overcome the result. “There is nothing decided even though they have an advantage.”
“🗣️ “We will try to look like our best version.”
This is how Valverde faces the second leg against Real Sociedad in the LaCopaRTVE semi-finals.
📺 You can see it this Wednesday, at 9 p.m. on @la1@La1_tve pic.twitter.com/WOx5TY2KzA“
— Teledeporte (@teledeporte) March 3, 2026
Valverde confirmed that Nico Williams will not be in San Sebastián. Neither Ruiz de Galarretawhose shoulder came off in the match against Rayo Vallecano. This ailment could predictably keep him off the playing fields for around a month. Both the forward and the midfielder are two very sensitive losses for Athletic.
Athletic is seeking its fourth final in seven seasons; Real, return to one six years later
Copa history favors Athletic, both in the historical section and in the most recent one. ‘The lions’ have won the Copa del Rey 24 times and they have reached the final in three of the last six editions. After losing in 2020 (precisely against Real) and 2021, Athletic redeemed themselves by winning in 2024.
Real Sociedad seeks to return to a final six years later. The San Sebastian team played and won the last one in 2021, a match against Athletic that should have been played a year before, but that the pandemic forced it to be postponed. That final was played without an audience. The San Sebastian team has won the Cup twice in its entire history.
