A final after 13 years of waiting
May 2013, Santiago Bernabéu. Goals from Diego Costa and Miranda sank Real Madrid, and Atlético Madrid lifted the Copa del Rey. Nearly 13 years have passed since that night. With no major trophy since the 2021 La Liga title, the club return to a cup final in Seville tonight.
Their recent run of form reads poorly on paper: just one win in six matches, the 2-0 away victory over Barcelona in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals. Game by game, the defeats have piled up. Yet there is a certain trust within this Atlético side that the right kind of pragmatism can deliver the results that truly matter. Tottenham were eliminated 7-5 on aggregate, Barcelona 3-2. Both ties ended with Atlético through to the Champions League semifinals. Simeone has been clear about his priorities between competitions all along.
Tonight's Copa del Rey final is precisely the kind of fixture that demands nothing but the result. Win the trophy, or don't. That is all that is at stake.
La Cartuja as a variable: the risk of neutral ground
The gap between Atlético's home and away form in La Liga this season is impossible to ignore. At the Metropolitano: 13 wins, one draw, two defeats, 40 points. On the road: four wins, five draws, six defeats, 17 points. At home, they have been formidable. Away from it, they have struggled to close games out.
La Cartuja is neutral ground, and the Metropolitano atmosphere will not be there. A cup final is fundamentally different from a league away day, but the possibility that Atlético's away-day fragility surfaces is worth keeping in mind. Under the RFEF allocation, each club received 25,680 tickets. How much of a red-and-white atmosphere Atlético's supporters can generate at La Cartuja could prove an important factor in shaping the feel of the match.
For Real Sociedad, they are not heading into an opponent's fortress. With an equal ticket allocation, their own fans will be there in numbers. The composure Pellegrino Matarazzo's side have shown since his appointment is something they have the conditions to replicate on this stage.
La Real's weapons: the Matarazzo effect and Kubo's return
A rebuilt side
When Matarazzo took charge in December, Real Sociedad were stuck near the bottom of the table, close enough to the relegation places for alarm. His first match in charge on January 4 was a draw against Atlético. What followed was a rapid transformation, including a stretch of seven wins in eight matches. In La Liga, the club have climbed into the battle for European qualification. In the Copa, they overcame Athletic Club 2-0 on aggregate in an all-Basque semifinal to reach the final.
With no Champions League commitments, La Real have had roughly a week to prepare for the final. Their last competitive fixture was a 3-3 draw with Alavés on April 11. Atlético, by contrast, played their Champions League quarterfinal second leg on April 14, just four days before the final. The gap in freshness is a factor that cannot be overlooked.
Kubo as a threat
Takefusa Kubo returned from injury in the Alavés match, coming off the bench and registering an assist for Óskarsson's goal within six minutes of his introduction. Whether he starts the final is unclear, but those six minutes showed he can shift the dynamic of a game even in a limited role. Japanese readers will be well aware of him, though tonight he represents a threat to Atlético. When Matarazzo plays this bench card, and at what stage, is something to watch closely.
Oyarzabal and Óskarsson
Oyarzabal has 12 La Liga goals this season. He was among those left on the bench alongside Guedes and Kubo for the Alavés match and was an unused substitute. He remains the reference point of La Real's attack, and his sharpness in the penalty area is their most dangerous weapon in a one-off final. Óskarsson has five league goals and one in the Copa. The numbers alone do not stand out, but the Icelandic striker has become an unmistakable symbol of this season's Sociedad. The chant their fans sing tells the story: "Por la mañana café, por la tarde ron. Llévame a Sevilla, Orri Óskarsson." Tonight, it will echo around La Cartuja.
Atlético's squad picture: the cost of a Champions League battle and who's back
Fatigue, and the will to push on
Since late March, Atlético have lost three straight La Liga matches: Real Madrid (2-3), Barcelona (1-2), and Sevilla (1-2). In the Champions League, they also fell 1-2 to Barcelona in the quarterfinal second leg. Taken individually, these results paint a grim picture. The Sevilla defeat, however, came with heavy rotation, and the loss to Barcelona at the Metropolitano still meant a 3-2 aggregate progression. After reaching the Champions League semifinals, Simeone stressed the importance of coming back down to earth and focusing on what lies ahead. Picking the right battles and winning where it matters most is what sustains this Atlético side right now.
Injuries and returning players
Giménez is carrying a muscle injury and, while he has traveled to Seville, is unlikely to feature. Hancko has been training individually at La Cartuja with an ankle problem; a place on the bench is possible, but a start looks doubtful. The best news is the return of Barrios. Simeone confirmed in his press conference that "Pablo Barrios will be with us," significantly increasing his chances of playing. Whether that means starting or coming off the bench remains to be seen. Cardoso also featured late on in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg, giving Simeone another midfield option.
The goalkeeper decision is another talking point. Musso has been the Copa keeper this season and has earned trust in recent Champions League fixtures too, making his continued selection look the more likely outcome. That said, with Oblak back in the squad, Simeone's choice will not be confirmed until matchday.
Defensive concerns
With Giménez almost certainly absent and Hancko uncertain, Le Normand and Pubill are the most likely centre-back pairing, though Lenglet is also an option. The question is how Atlético handle set pieces. Dealing with the aerial presence of the 186cm Óskarsson and centre-back Martín when they come forward for corners and free kicks is one challenge; tracking Oyarzabal's movement on second balls and loose play around the box is another. Set pieces could be a decisive battleground in this final.
Griezmann's last dance
His departure at the end of the season is already confirmed. On March 24, a move to Orlando City was announced. The club's all-time top scorer is in the final chapter of his Atlético career. The chance to win a first major trophy since the 2021 La Liga title is right in front of him.
He has five goals in this Copa campaign. The free kick he scored against Deportivo La Coruña in January was an emblematic strike that seemed to shift his season's momentum. Through every round, it has been Griezmann driving this team forward in the cup.
The opponents are his former club. In his press conference, Griezmann said he is trying not to think too much about facing Real Sociedad, for fear of becoming too emotional. "They opened doors for me that weren't opened in France. I owe them so much." Still, he added: "I'm not thinking about whether it's my last game. It's just a very important match, and that's all I'm focused on." Rather than dwelling on the narrative of a final farewell, he is choosing to channel everything into the 90 minutes ahead.
Simeone said he hopes "God and destiny give him what he's looking for in the time he has left. We'll only realise over time that we had a football genius with us." Speaking for myself, I want Griezmann's last dance to begin with a Copa title. This is a night that carries meaning beyond tactical analysis alone.
Kick-off information and what to watch
Kick-off is at 21:00 CEST. The venue is Estadio de La Cartuja, Seville.
The first thing to watch is the centre-back pairing and set-piece defence. How much does Giménez's absence cost Atlético? Dealing with the 186cm Óskarsson and centre-back Martín at corners and free kicks will be an immediate test.
Then there is the question of how the benches are managed. How Simeone uses Barrios and Sørloth, and when Matarazzo introduces Kubo, could decide the match. Both managers have cards to play, and the timing of those calls may prove pivotal.
Finally, the battle over tempo. Four days after their Champions League exertions, Atlético will want to control the early pace without ceding the initiative. Sociedad, with a full week of rest, will aim to push the tempo from the start. That tug of war will define the shape of the game.
Simeone put it simply: "I always imagine the best. I have no other thought." Whether this is the night that ends 13 years of waiting, only the pitch at La Cartuja will tell. A match report will follow after the final whistle.