Basque Derby Boiling Over: Athletic and La Real Set for Copa del Rey Semi Showdown
San Mamés hosts the first leg of a mouthwatering Basque derby Copa del Rey semi-final, with both Athletic Club and Real Sociedad in fighting form.
The Basque football festival returns with sky-high stakes as Athletic Club and Real Sociedad prepare for a two-legged Copa del Rey semi-final showdown.
Derby Days
Not half excited about this one! The Basque derby is always a proper spectacle, but when there’s a Copa del Rey final spot on the line, it’s an absolute peach of a fixture. San Mamés hosts Wednesday’s first leg before the return match at Anoeta on March 4th.
The pair only recently locked horns in the league, playing out a draw featuring a Galarreta screamer and Brais Méndez seeing red in what many felt was a harsh decision. But there’s no time for settling old scores when a cup final appearance is at stake.
Form Guide
Athletic Club have proven themselves proper cup specialists over the years. Ernesto Valverde’s men seem to find their best form in this competition, and starting at home doesn’t bother them one bit. In fact, the feeling around Bilbao is that the team should be in even better shape by the time the second leg rolls around.
Meanwhile, La Real are on an absolute tear in 2026:
- Undefeated this calendar year
- Five wins and three draws in their last eight
- Coming off the back of impressive performances
Matarazzo’s men would be well chuffed with another unbeaten result at San Mamés to take back to Anoeta.
Team News
Real Sociedad will be missing some key players, with Kubo, Barrenetxea and Sucic all unavailable. However, since Matarazzo’s arrival, they’ve been handling everything thrown their way with aplomb. Expect Aramburu and Jon Martín to return to the starting eleven after being rested in LaLiga action, with Brais Méndez and Turrientes potentially joining them.
The visitors have been finding the onion bag regularly, with Mikel Oyarzabal and Gonçalo Guedes bagging five and three goals respectively during their recent run. Óskarsson arrives in Bilbao in fine nick too, while Brais Méndez has contributed a couple of his own to their impressive 17-goal haul.
Athletic, meanwhile, have found their rhythm after some patchy form, building momentum with that league draw against La Real plus victories over Valencia and Levante in cup and league.
By 11pm tonight, we’ll know whether the ‘Matarazzo effect’ is still going strong or if Athletic’s cup pedigree will give them the upper hand in this mouthwatering Basque battle.