At the Reale Arena, the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final will take place between Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao. The hosts, after a 1:0 away win in the first meeting, have a narrow advantage, but the visitors will be forced to take risks to overturn the one-goal deficit and avoid elimination from the battle for the final.
Real Sociedad
Real Sociedad are producing excellent results: in their last 14 matches they have eight wins, five draws and one defeat. They have improved in attack and have scored in every game during this run. In the first leg of the semi-final they dominated in xG (2.35), and Beñat Turrientes’s 62nd-minute goal secured the victory. However, the defence under Pellegrino Matarazzo remains less reliable: they have kept a clean sheet in only two of their last 16 matches across all competitions.
Athletic Bilbao
Athletic Bilbao have come to life after their elimination from the UEFA Champions League: in their last six matches they have four wins, each resulting in at least two goals. Valverde’s side also concede regularly; they have not kept a single clean sheet in their last 15 games. In the Copa del Rey they made three errors that led to goals in the match against Cultural Leonesa (4:3 AET). Head-to-head with Real Sociedad has also been poor, with no wins in the last four meetings.
Real Sociedad vs Athletic Bilbao Prediction
The hosts are likely to control the game, using their home advantage and narrow aggregate lead, while the visitors will look for opportunities to attack, taking risks and leaving spaces at the back. We suggest backing Both Teams to Score – Yes in this match.
