Real Sociedad Defeats Athletic Bilbao 1-0 in Copa del Rey Semifinal First Leg

The Basque derby match was decided by a single goal in the first leg of the Spanish cup semifinal.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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Real Sociedad defeated Athletic Bilbao 1-0 in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal matchup on Wednesday. The Basque derby was decided by a single goal scored by the visiting side at Athletic Bilbao's home stadium.

Why it matters

The Copa del Rey is Spain's primary domestic cup competition, and the semifinal matchup between these two Basque rivals is one of the most anticipated matchups of the tournament. The winner of this tie will advance to the final, giving them a chance to lift the prestigious trophy.

The details

Real Sociedad scored the lone goal of the match in the first half to take a 1-0 lead into the second leg. The victory gives Real Sociedad the advantage heading into the return fixture at their home stadium.

  • The match was played on Wednesday, February 11, 2026.

The players

Real Sociedad

A professional football club based in San Sebastián, Spain that competes in La Liga, the top division of Spanish football.

Athletic Bilbao

A professional football club based in Bilbao, Spain that also competes in La Liga. They are known for only fielding players from the Basque Country region.

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What’s next

The second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal between Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao will be played at Real Sociedad's home stadium on February 25, 2026.

The takeaway

This Basque derby matchup in the Copa del Rey semifinals is an important one for both clubs, as they look to advance to the final and have a chance to lift the prestigious trophy.