Atletico Madrid vs Real Sociedad – Match preview/team news
Atletico Madrid vs Real Sociedad – Match preview/team news Atletico Madrid prepares to face Real Sociedad in the final of the Copa del Rey on Saturday night as they fight for the silverware. Atletico Madrid defeated Barcelona in the semifinal of the Copa Del Rey (4-3 aggregate) to reach the final while Real Sociedad won against Athletic Bilbao (2-0 aggregate) to qualify for the final. Atletico Madrid vs Real Sociedad – Match preview and team news Date: Saturday, 18th April.
Kick-off: 8pm BST. Venue: Estadio La Cartuja de Sevilla, Sevilla. Atletico Madrid team news For Atletico Madrid, Diego Simeone faces a defensive puzzle as he prepares for the final.
While the team is buoyed by their recent progression to the Champions League semi-finals, fatigue and injuries are mounting. Midfielder Pablo Barrios is officially sidelined with a thigh injury, while the availability of Jose Gimenez and David Hancko remains highly uncertain; Hancko’s individual training sessions suggest he is unlikely to feature in the starting XI. In a tactical shift, Juan Musso is expected to retain his role as the “cup goalkeeper” over Jan Oblak.
This leaves Robin Le Normand to lead a makeshift backline alongside Marc Pubill. Offensively, Simeone will lean on the pairing of Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez, hoping their clinical finishing can overcome the squad’s lack of defensive depth and the physical toll of their crowded fixture list. Real Sociedad team news Real Sociedad enters the final with the benefit of a full week’s rest, though manager Pellegrino Matarazzo is grappling with his own injury crisis.
The squad will be without Igor Zubeldia, Alvaro Odriozola, and Inaki Ruperez, forcing a reshuffle in the back four. Additionally, the absence of Yangel Herrera thins their midfield options. However, there is positive news as captain Mikel Oyarzabal returns to the starting lineup fresh after being rested in their previous league outing.