Atletico Madrid failed to win the 2026 Copa del Rey title after losing to Real Sociedad in the final 4-3 on penalties, following a 2-2 draw after extra time.
Los Rojiblancos had eliminated defending champions Barcelona in the semi-finals with a 4-3 aggregate victory, while Real Sociedad overcame their city rivals Athletic Bilbao with a 1-0 aggregate win.
Goals from the Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad Copa del Rey final
Ander Barrenacha scored the fastest goal in Copa del Rey final history, giving Sociedad the lead just 14 seconds into the match with a header.
Atletico Madrid quickly equalized through Ademola Lookman in the 18th minute, his fifth goal in knockout matches since joining the capital club last winter.
Just before halftime, Mikel Oyarzabal put Real Sociedad back in front from the penalty spot, after which the Basque side began to defend throughout the second half.
After intense pressure from Atlético Madrid, Julián Álvarez equalized in the 83rd minute with a trademark stunning strike.
The match went to extra time, during which Álvarez almost scored the winning goal for Atlético, but his shot unfortunately struck the post.
The game then went to penalties, where Real Sociedad goalkeeper Ramiro saved the first two spot-kicks from Alexander Súlroth and Julián Álvarez, ultimately securing a 4-3 victory for his team.
ريال سوسيداد يحصد بطولة كأس ملك إسبانيا على حساب أتليتكو مدريد بعد الفوز بضربات الترجيح بنتيجة (3-4)#كأس_ملك_أسبانيا#MBCMASR2
لمتابعة البث المباشرhttps://t.co/ykLOJDCQby pic.twitter.com/NEQtw7vaUl— MBC MASR 2 (@mbcmasr2) April 18, 2026
Real Sociedad’s Fourth Copa del Rey Title
This Copa del Rey victory marks Real Sociedad’s fourth title in the competition’s history, following their triumphs in 1920, 1987, and 2020.
Interestingly, Sociedad’s 1987 victory also came against Atlético Madrid, after a 2-2 draw in regulation and extra time, with the Basque side ultimately prevailing on penalties, just as they did in 2026.
This title is the first trophy for manager Pellegrino Materazzi, whose most notable achievement was leading Stuttgart to promotion from the German second division to the Bundesliga.
Another trophyless season looms for Atlético Madrid
Atlético Madrid had hoped to win the Copa del Rey as a guaranteed gift for Antoine Griezmann, the club’s all-time leading scorer, who will leave for Orlando City next summer. However, this wish has not been fulfilled, and the Frenchman and Diego Simeone’s teammates generally face the prospect of another trophyless season.
Atlético Madrid’s only remaining hope lies in the Champions League, where they will face Arsenal in the semi-finals. This appears to be a very difficult match for the capital club against the Gunners, who are undefeated in the competition so far.
If Atlético manages to overcome Arsenal, they will likely face a much tougher challenge against the winner of the Bayern Munich vs. Paris Saint-Germain match in the final, scheduled to be held at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary.
It is worth noting that Atletico Madrid currently occupies fourth place in the Spanish league standings, and if the season ends without winning any titles, the likelihood of Diego Simeone’s departure may increase, especially since the Wanda Metropolitano stadium has not tasted titles since winning La Liga in 2021.
