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

The Basque derby matchup saw Real Sociedad take the first-leg advantage.

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 took place 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 the two Basque clubs is a highly anticipated regional rivalry. The winner of the tie will advance to the final.

The details

Real Sociedad scored the lone goal of the match, giving them a slim 1-0 advantage heading into the second leg. The victory marks Real Sociedad's first win over Athletic Bilbao in their last five meetings.

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

The players

Real Sociedad

A professional football club based in San Sebastián, Basque Country, Spain.

Athletic Bilbao

A professional football club based in Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain.

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What’s next

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

The takeaway

The Basque derby between Real Sociedad and Athletic Bilbao remains a fiercely contested matchup, with the first leg going to Real Sociedad. The second leg will determine which club advances to the Copa del Rey final.