Atletico Madrid v Real Sociedad: Where to watch, preview, lineups and odds

Ryan Murray

Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad clash in this season’s Copa del Rey final, which will be staged in Seville on Saturday night.

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After advancing to the semi-final stage of the Champions League on Tuesday night, Atletico Madrid will be hoping the Copa del Rey is the first of two pieces of silverware to land at the Metropolitano within the next six weeks.

Los Colchoneros commenced their cup campaign with a 3-2 victory over Mallorcan side Atletico Baleares, before edging past Deportivo de La Coruna at the Estadio Riazor. Atleti then travelled to the Estadio de La Cartuja – the venue for this weekend’s Copa del Rey showpiece – for their quarter-final meeting with Real Betis, which saw the visitors dish out a 5-0 thrashing. It was a classic tale of two legs in the next round, as Atleti and Barcelona both recorded convincing home victories in a thrilling tie. However, the runaway league leaders were the ones to bow out courtesy of a 4-3 aggregate defeat.

Real Sociedad may have experienced a radical upturn in form following the mid-season arrival of American Head Coach Pellegrino Matarazzo, but their Copa del Rey journey started way back in October. After comfortably dispatching sixth-tier outfit SD Negreira and Catalan minnows Reus FC Reddis, Sociedad needed a very late strike from Pablo Marin to beat Eldense. A penalty shootout triumph over LaLiga rivals Osasuna then followed, before February’s success at Deportivo Alaves’ Mendizorrotza Stadium set up a semi-final showdown with Basque neighbours Athletic Bilbao. The Txuri-Urdin prevailed thanks to 1-0 wins in both Bilbao and San Sebastian, ensuring they reached their first Copa del Rey final since winning the delayed 2019/20 edition of the competition.

Atletico Madrid v Real Sociedad key information

Date: Saturday, April 18th

Kick-off time: 20:00 (BST)

Venue: Estadio de La Cartuja, Seville

Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas (Assistant Referees: Alfredo Rodriguez Moreno and Jorge Bueno Mateo

VAR: Jorge Figueroa Vazquez (Assistant VAR: Daniel Trujillo Suárez)

TV Channels / Live Stream: ITV4 (and ITVX) and Premier Sports Player

Odds (to lift trophy): Atletico Madrid: 4/11 Real Sociedad: 2/1

Odds provided by bet365

Atletico Madrid team news

Although Atleti are currently in the midst of an intensely busy schedule, Diego Simeone has generally managed to maintain the fitness and freshness of his squad. However, the Argentinian tactician still has several injury headaches to contend with.

Having just returned from a minor hamstring tear, Pablo Barrios developed a thigh problem during a routine training session last month. Uruguayan international Jose Maraa Gimenez continues to nurse a muscle strain, while fellow defender David Hancko sprained his ankle during the first leg of the Champions League clash with Barcelona. Industrious midfielder Johnny Cardoso returned to the fold on Tuesday night after picking up a knock during the international break, but may struggle to start ahead of club captain Koke.

Simeone faces a major decision in the goalkeeping department, with Jan Oblak now available following a short lay-off. Juan Musso has provided more than adequate cover between the sticks in recent weeks, registering clean sheets against Getafe and Barcelona and making several crucial saves. The Argentinian has also started all five of Atléti’s Copa del Rey fixtures this term, so don’t be surprised if he once again gets the nod on Saturday evening.

Alexander Sorloth netted 24 times in 90 appearances during a positive two-season spell with Real Sociedad, but may have to settle for a place on the bench against his former employers. The Norwegian striker has been unable to break up the formidable strike partnership of Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez, who ripped apart Barça’s defence on several occasions in recent weeks.

Atletico Madrid predicted lineup v Real Sociedad (4-4-2)

Coach: Diego Simeone

Juan Musso (GK); Nahuel Molina, Robin Le Normand, Clement Lenglet, Matteo Ruggeri; Giuliano Simeone, Marcos Llorente, Koke, Ademola Lookman; Antoine Griezmann, Julian Alvarez

Real Sociedad team news

Although he’ll be buoyed by the return of Jon Gorrotxategi following the influential midfielder’s recovery from a recent groin strain, Pellegrino Matarazzo is still without the services of several key first-team players.

Venezuelan international Yangel Herrera is back in training after his latest setback, but won’t be fit enough to feature this weekend. Iñaki Rupérez has also endured an injury-ravaged campaign, after seriously damaging his knee during August’s pre-season friendly contest with Bournemouth.

Defensive duo Igor Zubeldia and Alvaro Odriozola are also on the treatment table, with the latter out for the remainder of the season. As suspensions do not carry between Spanish league and domestic cup competitions, Sergio Gomez is available despite being shown a straight red card in the dying embers of Saturday’s explosive 3-3 draw with Deportivo Alaves.

It’s also not yet clear as to who Matarazzo will install between the sticks, as second-choice goalkeeper Unai Marrero has been consistently used on Copa del Rey duty. The Basque stopper has kept three clean sheets in this season’s competition to press, and saved Jon Moncayola’s spot-kick in the last sixteen shootout against Osasuna. Therefore, Alex Remiro may drop out.

Real Sociedad predicted lineup v Atletico Madrid (4-4-2)

Coach: Pellegrino Matarazzo

Unai Marrero (GK); Jon Aramburu, Jon Martin, Duje Caleta-Car, Sergio Gomez; Ander Barrenetxea, Jon Gorrotxategi, Carlos Soler, Goncalo Guedes; Luka Sucic, Mikel Oyarzabal

Where to watch on TV or live stream?

Saturday’s Copa del Rey final will be televised in the United Kingdom on two separate platforms. Those with the required subscription can watch events at the Estadio de La Cartuja unfold via the Premier Sports Player, while everyone has the option of tuning into ITV’s coverage on free-to-air channel ITV4.

Viewers can access a live stream of the contest over on ITVX, which is ITV’s online demand service. A full match replay will also be available on this app/website following the conclusion of the trophy ceremony.

Head-to-head record

A quick-fire brace from Nicolas Gonzalez helped Atleti overcome Saturday’s opponents in March’s five-goal thriller at the Metropolitano, which was incidentally just Matarazzo’s second defeat as Sociedad boss. This came just a couple of months after the two teams shared a 1-1 draw in San Sebastián, as two goals in the space of five second-half minutes ensured both took a share of the spoils.

The historical head-to-head record between these La Liga giants also favours the Madrid outfit, with Sociedad having last beaten Los Rojiblancos way back in January 2022. An Adnan Januzaj header and a left-foot strike from current Atleti forward Alexander Sorloth handed the Basques a 2-0 victory on that occasion, securing their safe progression to the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey in the process.

Although almost four decades have passed since, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad have previously met one another in a Copa del Rey final. Sociedad were crowned 1987 champions following a nerve-shredding penalty shootout at Zaragoza’s La Romareda Stadium, while under the stewardship of former Wales manager John Toshack.