Real Sociedad Vs Real Madrid

Real Madrid will aim to secure an advantage in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final as they travel to the Reale Arena for a showdown with Real Sociedad on Wednesday.

The home side is eager to claim their fourth Copa del Rey title, while Los Blancos seek to add a 21st trophy to their illustrious history in the competition.

Real Sociedad last lifted the Copa del Rey in the 2019-20 season when they edged past their Basque rivals Athletic Club with a narrow 1-0 victory in a final that was postponed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unfortunately for their supporters, restrictions at the time meant no fans were present to witness the triumph, leaving the club without a cup victory in front of their fans since their 1986-87 final win over Atletico Madrid, which was decided on penalties.

Now, the team from San Sebastian stands just two matches away from securing a place in April’s final, having successfully navigated five rounds to set up this highly anticipated encounter with Real Madrid. Their journey to this stage saw them eliminate Jove Espanol, Conquense, Ponferradina, and Rayo Vallecano before a convincing 2-0 quarter-final win over Osasuna, with Ander Barrenetxea and Brais Mendez getting on the scoresheet.

That triumph marked the beginning of an impressive spell for Imanol Alguacil’s side, as they have managed to win five of their last six competitive fixtures. Most recently, they delivered a commanding performance in La Liga, cruising to a 3-0 victory against Leganes on home turf. Goals from Arsen Zakharyan, Take Kubo, and Jon Ander Olasagasti ensured that Real Sociedad climbed to eighth in the league standings, further bolstering their confidence ahead of their meeting with the capital giants.

Despite being considered underdogs, Real Sociedad will take confidence from their recent home form. The Reale Arena has been something of a fortress for them, with 11 wins in their last 13 home matches across all competitions. Moreover, they have won each of their last five home games, which will give them belief that they can establish a first-leg lead against a formidable Madrid side.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid enter this contest with hopes of claiming multiple trophies this season, having already secured the FIFA Intercontinental Cup. With aspirations of winning La Liga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey, Carlo Ancelotti’s squad is determined to make every match count.

Following a rough patch in the league where they collected just two points from three games, Los Blancos bounced back with a vital 2-0 victory against Girona. That win, secured thanks to a stunning strike from Luka Modric and a late goal from Vinicius Junior, put them back in the La Liga title race. As a result, Real Madrid find themselves level on points with Barcelona at the summit of the table, while holding a one-point advantage over third-placed Atletico Madrid, with 13 matches left to play in the league campaign.

With their league aspirations back on track, Madrid now turn their attention to the Copa del Rey, a competition they last won in 2022-23 when they defeated Osasuna in the final to clinch their 20th title. This season, their cup journey began with wins over Deportivo Minera and Celta Vigo, followed by a hard-fought 3-2 victory over Leganes in the quarter-finals. The match was decided by a late goal from Gonzalo Garcia, who netted his first senior goal to propel Ancelotti’s men into the semi-finals alongside Real Sociedad, Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona.

Although they will not enjoy home advantage in the first leg, Real Madrid will still aim to secure a positive result at the Reale Arena, particularly given their strong recent record against Real Sociedad. Los Blancos have won their last three encounters with the Basque club, including a 2-0 league triumph at the same venue in September.

With both teams in solid form, this semi-final promises to be a thrilling contest as Real Sociedad look to make a statement and Madrid seek to edge closer to another piece of silverware.