Real Sociedad Reaches Copa del Rey Semifinals for the First Time in Four Seasons

Real Sociedad has secured their place in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey for the first time in four seasons with a hard-fought victory against Celta Vigo. Mikel Oyarzabal and Sheraldo Becker were the heroes of the night, scoring for the visitors in a rematch of their recent Spanish league clash. Sociedad’s head coach, Imanol Alguacil, expressed his satisfaction with the team’s performance and emphasized the significance of the achievement.

The hosts, coached by Rafa Benitez, were eager to return to the semifinals for the first time since 2017. However, it was Sociedad who took the lead early on, with Oyarzabal heading home from close range just two minutes into the match at the Balaidos Stadium. The visitors extended their advantage in the 66th minute through Becker, who capitalized on a fast breakaway, leaving Celta’s goalkeeper, Ivan Villar, helpless to stop the shot from outside the box.

Late drama unfolded as Luca de la Torre pulled one back for Celta with a low shot from inside the box in the 92nd minute, injecting tension into the closing moments of the game. However, Sociedad managed to hold on to their lead and secure their spot in the semifinals.

Real Sociedad, who emerged victorious in the 2019-20 final against Athletic Bilbao, has consecutively reached the quarterfinals in the past two seasons but failed to advance. Their triumph over Celta on Saturday also marked an end to the team’s four-game winless streak in the Spanish league.

Sociedad currently sits in sixth place in the league, six points behind fourth-place Atletico Madrid in the final Champions League spot. On Wednesday, all eyes will be on the clash between Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona, with both teams vying for a place in the Copa semifinals. This highly anticipated encounter brings together the two most successful clubs in the competition, with Barcelona boasting 31 titles and Athletic Bilbao with 23 to their name.

In another quarterfinal, surprise Spanish league leaders Girona will face Mallorca in what promises to be an intriguing contest. Atletico Madrid, who eliminated defending champions Real Madrid in the previous round, will host Sevilla, a team currently fighting to stay above the relegation zone in the league.