Atletico Madrid 2-2 (3-4 on pens) Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad are the 2026 Copa del Rey champions thanks to a penalty shootout win after they played out a pulsating 120 minutes against gallant losers Atletico Madrid.
After an entertaining first half, Sociedad went into a half time lead thanks to goals from Ander Barrenextea and Mikel Oyarzabal, with an answer from Ademola Lookman. Julian Alvarez scored a late leveller for Atleti to take the game to extra time. Then it was Sociedad keeper Unai Marrero who won the day, saving spot kicks from Julian Alvarez and Alexander Sorloith as Pablo Marin converted the winning penalty.
Highlights of the game
In my SBOTOP preview of the final, I said Sociedad had progressed impressively in the second half of the campaign, though the Copa del Rey 2026 betting odds backed an Atleti win. But it took only 15 seconds for the Basque men to go ahead, and it was a beautifully guided header from local boy Ander Barrenetxea from a Gonzalo Guedes cross which broke the deadlock before the latecomers had taken their seats.
That early shock stunned Atleti into a response with Julian Alvarez forcing a save from Unai Marrero; but Los Rojiblancos were soon level when Antoine Griezmann found Ademola Lookman in space and he slotted the ball home to level.
Mikel Oyarzabal, sixth top scorer in La Liga with 12 goals has been Sociedad’s go to man this season and he almost created another goal for Barrenetxea but Juan Mussio saved and La Real continued to press. But Oyarzabal got on the wrong side of the referee when he chopped down his former team-mate Robin Le Normand to earn himself a yellow card. Moments later Le Normand got himself in the book when he took a hack at the lively Barrenetxea.
Oyarzabal fed Guedes but he was wide of the target but as half time approached the men of San Sebastian were ahead again. Guedes made his way into the penalty area and was fouled by Juan Musso and, after a delay while Guedes was being attended to, Oyarzabal stepped up and slammed home the penalty to make it 2-1.
The second half began with more tranquillity, which must have suited Sociedad, though Atletico started to put their foot down as Alvarez forced another good save from Marrero and then the Argentine striker hammered a shot narrowly wide when he was set up by substitute Nico Gonzalez. And it was no surprise when Alvarez eventually broke through, taking a pass from Thiago Almada and smashing his shot into the top corner to take the game to extra time.
Sociedad woke up again and rained six shots down on the Madrid goal in the first ten minutes of extra time with Musso making heroic saves; but then Alvarez almost scored again but his shot crashed off the crossbar. But 120 minutes couldn’t separate the two teams and it was Marrero the hero as the men of Basque came through.
Key statistics
In an eventful first half La Real deserved their 2-1 lead; while the Madrid giants had more possession the Basque men had eight shots to four and three to two on target. The second half Copa del Rey 2026 highlights went the other way and by the end of 90 minutes Atletico had taken 13 shots to Sociedad’s nine, with four on target each. But Sociedad looked the more likely in extra time.
Barrenetxea’s goal was the fastest in a Copa del Rey final, beating the previous record set by Manuel Badenes, who scored for Valencia after 17 seconds back in 1952.
The result in 90 minutes means Atleti’s head to head lead over La Real stays at 26 to ten, but Sociedad have now won their third Copa del Rey.
What’s next?
Atletico are still in the Champions League and have a good chance of reaching the final, with a semi-final clash against Arsenal to come. The Gunners have stuttered a little recently and they didn’t look at all convincing when they beat Sporting Lisbon 1-0 on aggregate to make it through to the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Los Rojiblancos beat Barcelona to make it to the last four of Europe’s premier competition, and that alone makes them serious contenders.
While all Atleti’s focus has been on cups, with a top four La Liga place pretty much in the bag, cup winners Sociedad have a top five spot in their sights and they have a big game at home to Getafe on Wednesday, while Atletico visit Elche.
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