Copa del Rey final tonight
The 123rd Copa del Rey final is tonight at Estadio La Cartuja: Atlético de Madrid vs Real Sociedad, kickoff 21:00 local (3 p.m. ET), with coverage on ESPN platforms (espnpressroom.com) (marca.com). Reporting frames Atlético as a “reborn” side still chasing its Champions League dream after the April 14 win over Barcelona, and Spanish outlets note La Cartuja was prepared in record time to host the match (reuters.com) (rtve.es).
Atlético de Madrid and Real Sociedad meet Saturday night in Seville for the 123rd Copa del Rey final, with kickoff set for 21:00 local time at La Cartuja. (rfef.es) The Royal Spanish Football Federation said La Cartuja is hosting the final for a seventh straight season, and its official dossier lists the match as Atlético de Madrid vs. Real Sociedad on April 18. (rfef.es) In the United States, ESPN said the match will air Saturday at 3 p.m. Eastern on ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes, with English- and Spanish-language coverage from Seville. (espnpressroom.com) For Atlético, the final lands in the middle of a wider push under Diego Simeone. Reuters reported the club is chasing its first trophy in five years after reviving its season and reaching the UEFA Champions League semifinals with a 2-1 home win over Barcelona on April 14. (thestar.com.my, atleticodemadrid.com) Atlético is seeking its 11th Copa del Rey title, according to the federation’s pre-final coverage. The club last won the competition in 2013, when Simeone’s side beat Real Madrid at the Bernabéu. (rfef.es, atleticodemadrid.com) Real Sociedad is back in a final with a recent cup pedigree of its own. The Basque club won the delayed 2020 Copa del Rey final against Athletic Club in April 2021, ending a 34-year wait for the trophy. (rfef.es, realsociedad.eus) The venue has been part of the story this week. Spanish public broadcaster RTVE reported La Cartuja was made ready in less than 12 hours, while the federation said more than 400 workers took part in the final stadium transformation. (rtve.es, rfef.es) The federation also said it allocated more than 52,000 tickets, about 80% of stadium capacity, to the two finalists. That gives the game the scale of a national showpiece, not just a one-off cup tie. (rfef.es) By Saturday night, one club will leave Seville with a major domestic trophy and the other with a missed chance at the end of a long cup run. The match starts at 21:00 in Spain, 3 p.m. Eastern in the United States. (rfef.es, espnpressroom.com)
