Real Sociedad Aims to Confirm Advantage Against Athletic Bilbao in Copa del Rey Semi-Final Second Leg

Real Sociedad will host Athletic Bilbao in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final on March 4. The highly anticipated match between the two teams will take place at the Estadio Municipal de Anoeta in Donostia-San Sebastián.

This match will determine which team advances to the next round after the completion of the first leg of the domestic competition. The initial encounter, held at the Estadio de San Mamés on February 11, ended with a 0-1 victory for the visiting team.

The hosts enter the match with a record of three wins, one draw, and one loss in their recent games, while the visitors have also secured three wins, one draw, and one defeat over the same period. The head-to-head history favors Real Sociedad, with 15 victories compared to their opponent's 12 wins, alongside 9 previous draws.

Real Sociedad is expected to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation, with goalkeeper Álex Remiro, defender Jon Martín, and forward Mikel Oyarzabal anticipated to be in the starting lineup. The team will be without Álvaro Odriozola due to injury until the end of the season, and Takefusa Kubo remains sidelined with an injury until mid-March.

Conversely, Athletic Bilbao is expected to adopt the same tactical setup, with Aymeric Laporte, Iñaki Williams, and goalkeeper Álex Padilla among the likely starters. The team will miss Yeray Álvarez due to suspension, while Nico Williams and Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta are out with injuries until the end of March. Additionally, Beñat Prados is expected to return in early April.