Real Sociedad and Atlético glorified the Copa del Rey with a fearless, titanic final, marked by the exhaustion of the torrid heat, the swings in the scoreboard, and decided in the always cruel penalty shootout that rewards the winner and drowns the loser in tears. Real was crowned from the eleven meters after the whims of football mirrored the 2-2 score of the 87 final. Marrero emulated Arconada and saved the first two shots, from Sorloth and Julián Alvarez. Musso added more tachycardia by guessing Óskarsson’s strike. It was Pablo Marín, a youth player, who gave Matarazzo’s Real their third Copa in history. The freshness and courage of the American coach have revived a languishing team in just four months. His bet on Marrero was decisive.
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The substitute goalkeepers of both teams earned their place in the final match during the competition and had to face the torture of the penalty shootout. For Atlético, it was another tragedy after having equalized the score twice.
With the starting elevens on the grass, the final began by invoking the Argentine journalist Dante Panzieri and his dogmatic book Fútbol, dinámica de lo impensado (Football, Dynamics of the Unthought). Real played the ball to Marrero and Atlético did not press. They awaited the long kick from the Real goalkeeper, and Simeone’s players prepared to defend a possible flick-on or rebound. What happened was that Molina was short in his jump and Giuliano misjudged the subsequent bounce. Guedes gloved it towards the penalty spot. There, powerful, with the collaboration of Ruggeri, who shrank instead of jumping, Barrenetxea emerged to hammer the ball to the base of Musso’s right post. A whole week preparing for a final, and in 14 seconds, the tactical board, in this case Simeone’s, blew up.
The fastest goal in Copa final history forced Atlético to assume a role in which they feel least comfortable. Pressured to carry the weight of the game and to run less than they like. To first find an organized ball exit and then to detect holes in tight spaces. The *rojiblancos* entrusted themselves to Koke, who aimed his telescope at Lookman. Up to four times in less than five minutes, he launched the Nigerian to face Aramburu. This was one of the duels of the night.
Trusting in the solidity of their retreat, Real conceded no gaps, well-cemented by Turrientes, Jon Martín, and Caleta-Car. They only began to suffer when Griezmann started to roam the midfield to help in construction and across the entire attacking front to distract and eliminate references. In one of his drops to the left corner of the area, he linked up with Lookman at the edge. The Nigerian had time to settle the ball and shape a dry, low, dangerous cross-shot that Marrero couldn’t reach.
Atlético had taken 20 minutes to equalize. The equalizer led to a role reversal. Another scenario where the weight of the match fell to Real, with the restless Guedes and Barrenetxea as thorns. The *txuri-urdin* youth player had a final to remember. Diabolical on the wing and also when cutting inside. Guedes followed his example, and a powerful right-footed shot he unleashed became venomous after touching Pubill. The control of Soler and Sucic contributed to Real’s dominance. Atlético could barely deploy another encounter between Lookman and Aramburu. The Nigerian won the byline, but Griezmann arrived forced for his cut-back. Real did not shrink from this warning and continued to pour into *rojiblanco* territory. There, they earned a lateral free-kick that Soler curled to the penalty spot. In his attempt to clear with his fists, Musso hit Guedes, who had won the jump. A penalty from the New Testament of refereeing. Oyarzabal, as always, used his skill with the *paradiña* to deceive Musso. Atlético went into halftime having been hit at the beginning and end of the first half.
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𝑼𝒏 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏 𝒑𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒂 𝒖𝒏𝒂 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒅…
— Movistar Plus+ Deportes (@MPlusDeportes) April 18, 2026
🕷️🕸️ Julián Álvarez rescues @Atleti in the 82nd minute.#LaCopaMola #LaCasaDelFútbol pic.twitter.com/cVLmxcgc8z
Again, Simeone’s team was forced to play a style that doesn’t suit them. And for more than half an hour, they crashed against Real’s exercise in resistance. Matarazzo’s team showed resilience in clouding Atlético’s attacks. With Julián Alvarez and Griezmann subdued, Giuliano stuck, and Lookman well-marked by Aramburu, Simeone resorted to his bench. Sorloth, Nico González, Almada, Baena, and Cardoso came on to try to change the air of a team that was committed and even patient in moving the ball with Koke’s calm baton, but with crosses into the area to find Sorloth as a resource that didn’t quite work. Until Julián showed his skill at the edge of the box and slammed a violent left-footed shot into Marrero’s net. Where there was no space, the Argentine used street smarts to find it. Pablo Marín, Gorrotxategi, Aihen, Óskarsson, and Kubo were the replacements Matarazzo used to reorganize an already entrenched team.
To the sky of Seville! To the sky of La Cartuja!
— Movistar Plus+ Deportes (@MPlusDeportes) April 18, 2026
🏆 Real Sociedad is the Champion of the Copa del Rey – Mapfre 2025/26.#LaCopaMola #LaCasaDelFútbol pic.twitter.com/IvmOLyNspz
This new equalizer with seven minutes left generated an authoritative surge from Atlético. Baena, who couldn’t control the inside-of-the-foot strike below the goal line after a powerful pass from Llorente, and Almada, who crossed a one-on-one too much, could have avoided extra time. In extra time, Óskarsson, who failed to convert a rebound with Musso on the ground, and Julián Alvarez, who with another classy strike hit the crossbar, grazed glory before Marrero conquered it.
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