Atletico, Real Sociedad ready for 1987 repeat in Copa del Rey final

MADRID, April 17 (Xinhua) -- Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad meet in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday, with the trophy becoming the second major title to be decided in Spain this season after the Super Cup.

Atletico travels to the Estadio de la Cartuja after qualifying for the semifinal of the UEFA Champions League, while Real Sociedad has had a week to prepare for the match following its 3-3 home draw with Deportivo Alaves last weekend.

Real Sociedad won the 2020 Copa del Rey final 1-0 against Athletic Bilbao. This will be the first Cup final attended by its supporters since 1987, when it beat Atletico Madrid on penalties after the match ended 2-2 following extra time.

Atletico's last Copa del Rey triumph came in 2013, when it beat Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Atletico reached the final after a thrilling 4-3 aggregate win over FC Barcelona, while Real Sociedad knocked out local rival Athletic Bilbao with 1-0 wins in both legs.

A win for Real Sociedad would secure a place in next season's Europa League. While Atletico is close to assuring that through its position in La Liga, victory on Saturday would also keep alive its hopes of a domestic and European cup double. ■