Real Madrid Survive Real Sociedad Scare to Book Copa Del Rey Final Berth

Real Madrid advanced to the Copa Del Rey final despite a thrilling 4-4 draw with Real Sociedad, winning 5-4 on aggregate.

Real Madrid secured a thrilling 4-4 draw against Real Sociedad in the Copa Del Rey semi-final second leg, advancing to the final with a 5-4 aggregate score. The decisive factor was their 1-0 victory in the first leg, which ultimately proved to be the difference-maker.

Real Sociedad struck first in the match, with Ander Barrenetxea scoring in the 15th minute after receiving a through ball from Pablo Marin. This goal came against the run of play, as Real Madrid had created scoring opportunities earlier, including Endrick's overhead kick and Vinicius Junior's saved effort.

The hosts eventually equalized in the 30th minute, thanks to a brilliant combination between Vinicius Junior and Endrick. Vinicius' exceptional pass with the outside of his boot released Endrick, who skillfully lofted the ball over Alex Remiro to level the score.

Following the interval, Real Madrid sought to extend their lead, but clear-cut opportunities were scarce. The crowd had to wait until the 60th minute for the next shot on target, which came from Jude Bellingham's long-range effort that forced Alex Remiro to make a save.

In a surprising turn of events, Real Sociedad took the lead, albeit with a large dose of luck. Pablo Marin's determined work got him to the byline, and his low cross into the box found the heel of David Alaba, who inadvertently directed the ball between Andriy Lunin's legs and into the net.

Real Sociedad's fortunes continued to change as they soon found themselves in front on aggregate, again benefiting from good fortune. Mikel Oyarzabal's drive struck David Alaba before hitting the post and nestling into the back of the net. However, Real Madrid demonstrated their resilience, quickly reducing the deficit through Jude Bellingham's side-footed finish in the penalty area, made possible by Vinicius Junior's exceptional wing play.

🏁 @RealMadridEn 4-4 @RealSociedadEN (5-4 agg.)
⚽ 16' Barrenetxea
⚽ 30' @Endrick
⚽ 72' Alaba (og)
⚽ 80' Oyarzabal
⚽ 82' @BellinghamJude
⚽ 86' @ATchouameni
⚽ 90'+3' Oyarzabal
⚽ 115' @ToniRuediger
👉 @Emirates pic.twitter.com/fMklen2HN6

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 1, 2025

Real Madrid regained control of the match and took the lead once more in the tie, courtesy of Aurelien Tchouameni's headed goal. However, Alex Remiro will likely feel that he could have done better to prevent the goal.

The match was far from over, with seven minutes of injury time added, setting the stage for another dramatic twist. Substitute Sergio Gomez delivered a perfectly placed free-kick, allowing Mikel Oyarzabal to head the ball beyond Andriy Lunin and send the match into extra-time. This came after Remiro had denied Jude Bellingham, and the match continued to be intensely contested.

In the initial stages of extra-time, Real Madrid applied pressure, but Remiro was not forced to make any significant saves. As the match seemed to be heading towards a penalty shoot-out, Real Madrid struck the decisive blow. Antonio Rudiger headed home from a corner with just five minutes remaining, ultimately proving to be the winning goal.

Real Sociedad was unable to mount a response to Rudiger's goal, exiting the competition at the semi-final stage for the second consecutive year. They will now focus on securing a European spot through LaLiga. Meanwhile, Real Madrid will await the outcome of the other semi-final second leg between Atlético Madrid and Barcelona to determine their opponent in the Copa Del Rey final.

💥 @ToniRuediger 💥 pic.twitter.com/sNpNH3Psc6

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 1, 2025