Having secured a spot in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals earlier this week, Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid will now be looking to get their hands on the Copa del Rey title when they face Real Sociedad.
While Atletico Madrid have lost their last two outings, they did go past Barcelona on aggregate to book a place in the last four of the Champions League, which will certainly give them a lot of confidence heading into the cup final. The Colchoneros got the better of the Catalan giants in the Copa del Rey semi-finals to get within touching distance of the title.
Simeone’s men are looking to win the competition for the 11th time in their history. While their recent record is not that promising, Los Rojiblancos did get the better of Real Sociedad a few weeks ago in a dress rehearsal for the final. So they are certainly favourites heading into this one.
Meanwhile, Real Sociedad are looking to secure their fourth Copa del Rey title. The Basque outfit are currently seventh in La Liga, and they are involved in an intense battle for a European spot. They will certainly be underdogs in their fixture, but they have shown that they can take down the big dogs when it truly matters.
La Real secured a hard-fought 2-0 win on aggregate over Athletic Club to get into the final. While they are heading into this fixture on the back of a 3-3 draw against Alaves, expect them to put up a much better fight in this final. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Diego Simeone’s team will be without the services of Pablo Barrios due to a thigh injury, while Jose Gimenez and David Hancko remain major doubts for the final.
Atletio Madrid will stick with the 4-4-2 formation, where Jan Oblak will be in goal. Nahuel Molina and Matteo Ruggeri will feature as the full-backs, while Robin Le Normand will pair up with Clement Lenglet in the heart of the defence.
Giovanni Simeone and Ademola Lookman will provide support to the full-backs and width to their attacks from the flanks, while Koke will start alongside Marcos Llorente in the centre of the park. The duo will look to control the tempo of the game.
In the final third, Julian Alvarez will partner with veteran striker Antoine Griezmann, who is looking to win some silverware before leaving the club a living legend this summer.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Oblak; Molina, Le Normand, Lenglet, Ruggeri; Simeone, Llorente, Koke, Lookman; Alvarez, Griezmann
Real Sociedad will be without the services of Inaki Ruperez, Jon Gorrotxategi (groin), Yangel Herrera (calf), Igor Zubeldia (muscle) and Alvaro Odriozola (ligament), with the quintet in the treatment room.
Pellegrino Matarazzo’s team will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Unai Marrero will feature in goal for this cup fixture. Jon Aramburu and Sergio Gomez are expected to be the full-backs, while Jon Martin will pair up with Aritz Elustondo in the heart of the defence.
As for the midfield unit, Carlos Soler and Benat Turrientes will form a double pivot in the centre of the park. They will have a lot of defending to do against Atletico Madrid’s star-studded team.
Brais Mendez will take up the number ten role, while Luka Sucic and Ander Barrenetxea will provide width from the flanks. Finally, the experienced Mikel Oyarzabal will lead the line for Real Sociedad against Atletico Madrid.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Marrero; Aramburu, Martin, Elustondo, Gomez; Soler, Turrientes; Sucic, Mendez, Barrenetxea; Oyarzabal
Antoine Griezmann could well be the difference-maker in this Copa del Rey final as he looks to bow out on a high. The 35-year-old has been a consistent performer for Atletico Madrid this season despite limited game time, contributing 13 goals and four assists in his 46 appearances.
The Frenchman has truly stood out in the Copa del Rey, with five goals in five outings. He averages a goal every 86th minute, and Simeone will be hoping his star man delivers yet again. If Atletico are to get their hands on the trophy, the veteran attacker is likely to have a significant say in how the night unfolds.
Atletico Madrid might not be heading into this final in the best of form, but their performances in knockout competitions suggest they know how to rise to the occasion. Diego Simeone’s men have already overcome top opposition en route to the final, and with their defensive solidity and experience in big games, they will back themselves to get the job done.
Real Sociedad, however, have proven they can be dangerous under pressure and will look to make life difficult for Atletico. They have the quality to create problems, especially if they can stay compact and take their chances on the break.
But over the course of 90 minutes, Atletico Madrid’s edge in experience and firepower should see them narrowly come out on top in this closely fought encounter. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Simeone and his charges in this Copa del Rey final.
