The Royal faces Atlético in the Cup Final with illusion and confidence

Real Sociedad and Atlético de Madrid, led by Mikel Oyarzabal and Antoine Griezman, face each other this Saturday in the grand final ofthe Copa that will be played in the stadium of La Cartuja (Seville). 

The Royal Society last raised the Cup in 2021by defeating Athletic in a final without spectators, while Atlético won its tenth and final Cup in 2013 , when Cholo Simeone was also the coach and Koke was on the field. 

The Madrid team has dominatedthe last nine matches in which Real Sociedad and Atlético have faced each other. However, they have only competed once in a Copa final. This was 38 years ago, on 27 June 1987, in La Romareda (Zaragoza), where the White Blue Grains were imposed, in the penalty batch, after finishing two matches and an extension.

Atlético has reached the final of La Cartuja full of confidence, since this week he has qualified to play the semi-finals of the Champions League. In any case, the meeting back that he played against Barcelona on Tuesday was very hard and he has had fewer days to rest and prepare for the final than the Real.

The Royal Society, on the other hand, is excited to arrive in Seville and after 38 years it will play another final with the public. In addition, they will have the support of thousands of realists in La Cartuja to win the fourth Cup in the history of the club. 

For that, however, the White-Blue team will have to make an almost perfect match. Since Matarazzo took over the team, the Royal has gone upand has the tools to hurt Atlético.

Matarazzo has called 25 players , including Yangel Herreta and Gorrotxategi, who have been on leave for a month. Zubeldia, Rupérez and Odriozola are the only players who have had to stay at home.

The only question is who will be in the middle of the field next to Soler and Turrientes . In the semifinals Gorrotxategi played, but Sucic is in full shape and the Croatian is likely to be in the 11th, while Kubo and Oskarssonseem to be on the bench. 

Central defenses David Hancko and Jose Maria Jimenez are in doubt.

It is clear that Antoine Griezman will be the headline. It will be a special match for the French player. He jumped into the football elite by the hand of the Royal Society and has reached his peak in Atlético. At the end of the season he will say goodbye to the League to play in the Orlando City of the United States from July. 

Possible eleven.

Atlético de Madrid: Musso; Molina or Llorente, Pubill, Le Normand, Ruggeri; Giuliano, Llorente or Barrios, Koke, Lookman; Griezmann and Julian Alvarez.

Royal Society: Marrero; Aramburu, Jon Martín, Caleta-Car, Sergio Gómez; Turrientes, Soler, Sucic; Barrenetxea, Oyarzabal and Guedes.

Referee: Javier Alberola Rojas.

Football field: La Cartuja.

Time: 21:00.

Follow the Cup Final live this Saturday from 21:00 on ETB1 and sports.eitb.eus.