Sociedad Beat Atlético in Dramatic Copa Del Rey Final

Real Sociedad secured the Copa del Rey title for the fourth time in their history after defeating Atlético Madrid in a final settled by penalties, following a 2–2 draw after extra time in Seville on Saturday. The result ended Sociedad’s six-year wait for success in the competition and denied Atlético Madrid a first major trophy in five years.

Atlético entered the match after a run of inconsistent results, having recorded only one victory in their previous five fixtures across all competitions. Despite reaching the UEFA Champions League semi-finals following a recent defeat to Barcelona, Diego Simeone’s side were unable to translate that progress into domestic silverware. Their attempt to claim an 11th Copa del Rey title—last won in 2013—was unsuccessful.

The match began with an immediate breakthrough. Real Sociedad took the lead just 14 seconds after kick-off through Ander Barrenetxea, marking the fastest goal in the history of a Copa del Rey final. Atlético responded in the 18th minute when Ademola Lookman equalised, restoring balance to the contest.

Sociedad regained the lead in first-half stoppage time as Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty to make it 2–1. Atlético continued to press in the second half and eventually equalised with seven minutes remaining in normal time, when Julián Álvarez scored to level the match at 2–2.

Neither side managed to find a decisive goal in extra time, and the final proceeded to a penalty shootout. Real Sociedad goalkeeper Unai Marrero played a decisive role, saving penalties from Alexander Sørloth and Julián Álvarez. Pablo Marín then converted the winning penalty to confirm Sociedad’s victory.

The triumph represents Real Sociedad’s first Copa del Rey title since 2020 and their fourth overall in the competition. It also marks a notable milestone for head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo. Born in New Jersey, he became the first American coach to win a major trophy in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

Matarazzo was appointed in December, when the club was positioned just two points above the relegation zone in La Liga. Within four months, he guided the team to a domestic cup title while also improving their league standing to mid-table.

Match Overview

The final was characterised by an early goal, shifts in momentum, and a decisive penalty shootout, culminating in Real Sociedad lifting the trophy after a closely contested encounter.