Real Sociedad – Athletic Bilbao: La Real want to finish the job 
This Wednesday night Real Sociedad host the return leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final sitting on a slim but useful lead. After a tight 1-0 win in the first game, the hosts will meet Athletic Bilbao head-on in a Basque derby that promises heat and hands-on tackles.
Real in the driving seat 
At San Mamés last month La Real struck the decisive blow when Beñat Turrientes hit the net just after the hour (62′). A big away performance that hands them the ideal platform to push for the final — though nothing is settled until the whistle blows.
Historically, the cup sits well with Real: three trophies in the cabinet, the last one back in 2019-20 — won, fittingly, against Athletic. Head-to-head in this competition tilts their way (6 wins to 5), and they’ve dominated lately (four wins in the last five meetings). In the league, Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side picked up confidence with a 1-0 win over Mallorca and sit eighth, five points shy of the top six. Do the job tonight and they’ll be facing Atlético or Barça on the last step.
Athletic with their back to the wall 
Athletic arrive off a hard-fought 1-1 draw with Rayo Vallecano. Don’t write them off — since that first-leg slip they’ve picked up seven points from their last three LaLiga games and they’re starting to purr again.
Ernesto Valverde’s men haven’t lost in the league since 24 January and sit just behind their rivals (9th with 35 points), still sniffing around European spots. Don’t forget: Athletic are cup royalty — 24 Copa wins in the trophy room (only Barça have more at 32). They lifted the cup as recently as 2023-24, ending a long drought dating back to 1984. The big worry? They haven’t beaten Real in the Cup since February 1982 and have gone four Basque derbies in a row without a win.
Likely lineups
Real Sociedad : Remiro ; Aramburu, Martin, Caleta-Car, Gomez ; Gorrotxategi, Turrientes ; Marin, Soler, Guedes ; Oyarzabal
Athletic Bilbao : Padilla ; Lekue, Vivian, Laporte, Boiro ; Jauregizar, Rego ; I Williams, Gomez, Navarro ; Guruzeta
Football Prediction Real Sociedad vs Athletic Bilbao
Real Sociedad to win
A one-goal advantage gives Real Sociedad the licence to control the tempo at home and strike on the break.
Athletic have struggled for rhythm this season and will have to open up to claw back the deficit. That should hand the hosts pockets of space. Expect La Real to close it out on Wednesday and book their spot in the final with a bit of breathing room.
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