Copa del Rey, Real Sociedad celebrates: Atletico Madrid beaten on penalties

Real Sociedad has won the 2025-2026 edition of the King’s Cup, Spain’s premier elimination tournament. In the final played Saturday at Sevilla’s Estadio de la Cartuja, the Basques beat Atletico Madrid after penalty kicks, prevailing 4-3 in the sequence of shots from the penalty spot after a 2-2 draw in 90′ and 120′.

The team coached by Pellegrino Matarazzo, a U.S.-based coach of Italian descent, took the lead twice, during the very first minute of the game thanks to Ander Barrenetxea’s goal and in the first half’s recovery with a penalty shot converted by Mikel Oyarzabal. Cholo Simeone’s men, however, scored first in the 18th minute with Ademola Lookman, author of the 1-1, then in the 83rd minute with Julian Alvarez, whose goal was decisive for the passage to extra time.

No goals in extra time, on penalties Atletico missed the first two with Sorloth and Alvarez, then Nico Gonzalez, Almada and Baena scored. For Real Sociedad, the only mistake was Oskarsson’s at the second attempt: instead, Soler, Sucic, Muñoz and Marin scored, with the latter making the Txuri-urdin’s joy explode.

For Real Sociedad, this is the fourth Copa del Rey in its history, after those of 1909, 1987 and 2020. Success in the domestic cup is also worth direct qualification for the Europa League, regardless of the final league position.