With both European club football and Spanish La Liga powerhouses Real Madrid and Barcelona knocked out of the 2023/2024 Copa del Rey campaign, Atlético Madrid, who played Athletic Club in the last four, became the hot favourites to win it all in the domestic cup competition. Nevertheless, Diego Simeone’s team could not protect their home advantage at Civitas Metropolitan Stadium, Madrid in the first leg, losing it by 1-0, and the momentum gained by Athletic Club through the slightest of margin of victory were fully utilised in the second leg, as Ernesto Valverde came out on top via a 3-0 score line, thus winning the semifinals with an aggregate advantage of 4-0.
Athletic Club Started the Second Leg as How They Finished the First Leg with a 1-0 Advantage
Athletic Club were able to leave Metropolitan with an advantage thanks to a penalty in the 25th minute by 28-year-old Alejandro Berenguer Remiro, and they brought that winning spirits back to their home of San Mamés for the second leg. Similar to the situation in the first leg, Athletic Club were the team who got onto the scoresheet in the returning leg of the Copa del Rey Semifinals, courtesy of Iñaki Williams. The 29-year-old Ghana international scored a stunning volley inside the penalty box when the other Williams, Spaniard Nico delivered a cross from the left flank. Iñaki Williams’s opener brought the roof down due to the insane acrobatic effort that impressed the roaring home fans.
Moments before the stoppage time was awarded at the end of the first half, both Williams once again combined in an Athletic Club attack, this time the roles were reserved. Iñaki Williams showed his fancy footwork inside the dangerous zone and his defender Mario Hermoso, brother of Spain women’s international football’s top scorer Jenni Hermoso, just could not land a tackle on the flippy flanker, allowing him to set up a shot for a teammate around the six-yard box. To the 29-year-old’s joy, his pass found Nico Williams, who went on to double Athletic Club’s second-leg lead and triple their aggregate advantage by slotting home a left-footed effort.
The Atlético players looked dispirited in the second half due to Athletic Club’s advantage, and another goal was spotted seconds after the hour mark, this time an icing on the cake from the home team. Oihan Sancet used his chest to control the ball inside the penalty box, before he had a go at the visitors’ goal, and Jan Oblak, who is usually brilliant in managing shots, could only parry the ball away, only to have it fallen into the plate of Gorka Guruzeta, who netted his 12th goal in 28 appearances in all competitions for Athletic Club this season. The effort also saw Athletic Club through to the Copa del Rey Final with a condescending 4-0 aggregate victory.
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The Athletic Club-Atlético Madrid Post-Match Conference
The 60-year-old Valverde was delighted to lead Athletic Club to their 40th Copa del Rey Final, he said: “It hasn’t been placid. They have started very well and until we have shaken off their dominance. The goal has calmed us down and in the second half we have entered very well and there we have dominated them. The important thing is to do everything possible to win and last year I think we did that too. At the moment we only think about where we are. The Copa is the opportunity we have to win a title and it is a very great dream for everyone. Last year we were here and we did not pass.”
The head coach who has now managed Athletic Club for more than one and a half years now also added the importance of the domestic cup finale appearance to the Spanish outfit’s loyal fans. “We know everything a final means to the fans. People get hooked on what we do, even though sometimes we risk a lot. Always the most important thing for me, besides the atmosphere, is what is inside the locker room, which is something that pushes us a lot. We are always the same, when things are good and bad. The atmosphere between the staff, the physios, those who accompany them every day and the players, it is the key.”
As opposed to the winning spirits of Athletic Club, Atlético manager Simeone looked like a despaired man during the post-match conference. Nevertheless, apart from talking about the chances that his team missed that would potentially turn the tide in the Copa del Rey Semifinals, the Argentine also offered congratulations to the finalists Athletic Club. “We had three chances that we could solve better and they were able to resolve the first time they arrived to score a goal. And in the second one they arrived too. Then with that enthusiasm they continued until it was 3-0. We failed in defence and must congratulate them. Let’s focus on Betis,” said the long-time gaffer at Atlético.
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🏆 ¡VOLVEMOS A UNA FINAL! ¡¡A SEVILLA!! 😍
Y esta vez con vosotr@s, athleticzales 🔥
🥺 Os hemos echado muchísimo de menos estos años en La Cartuja.
✊🏻 ¡Nos vemos pronto, @RCD_Mallorca ! #UniqueInTheWorld #AthleticClub 🦁 pic.twitter.com/1sIdRVF9Ib
— Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) February 29, 2024
Athletic Club vs. RCD Mallorca in the 2023/2024 Copa del Rey Final
Following their 4-0 complete dominance over Simeone’s Atlético Madrid, Athletic Club will have RCD Mallorca in store for them in the 2023/2024 Copa del Rey Final. RCD Mallorca have of course defeated Real Sociedad 5-4 on penalties in two tightly-contested legs in the other semifinal matchup, where even an extra time in the subsequent leg could not separate both teams from their stalemates (0-0 and 1-1); The first nine penalty takers from RCD Mallorca and Real Sociedad found successes in their spot kicks, until Spain international Mikel Oyarzabal became the only footballer who failed to convert his effort into the back of the net in the shootout.
It is worth mentioning that Athletic Club has a rich history in the Copa del Rey competitions. As the second most successful team in the history of the competition (23 trophies and 16 runners-up finishes), Athletic Club only trail Spanish club football giants Barcelona in terms of the number of titles won (31), and the final against RCD Mallorca will give Valverde’s men the chance to rewrite the record and edge close towards Barca’s superiority in the domestic cup. As for RCD Mallorca, the 2023/2024 Copa del Rey Final will be their fourth trip to this stage of the competition, with their only triumph in the tournament being their last run to the finale in the 2002/2003 Season.
