Real Madrid punched their ticket to the Copa del Rey final following a breathtaking 4-4 draw against Real Sociedad on Tuesday, advancing with a 5-4 aggregate victory after an emotional rollercoaster of a match that required extra time to determine the winner.
The visitors stunned the Santiago Bernabéu when Ander Barrenetxea broke the deadlock in the 16th minute. Real Madrid’s young Brazilian star Endrick responded with an elegant chipped finish to level the contest at 1-1. With their 1-0 advantage from the first leg, Carlo Ancelotti’s men momentarily appeared in control.
However, the match took a dramatic turn as Real Sociedad netted twice through Pablo Marin and Mikel Oyarzabal, with both shots deflecting off unfortunate defender David Alaba. Suddenly trailing 3-1 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate with just ten minutes remaining, Madrid’s final hopes seemed to be evaporating.
The champions demonstrated their trademark resilience when Jude Bellingham struck from close range in the 82nd minute before Aurelien Tchouameni headed home from Rodrygo’s corner four minutes later to level the match at 3-3. The drama intensified when Oyarzabal capitalized on more defensive confusion to score Sociedad’s fourth in stoppage time, forcing extra time.
Antonio Rudiger ultimately became Madrid’s hero, heading home from Arda Guler’s precise corner delivery to secure progression to the final. The 4-4 draw was enough for Madrid to advance with a 5-4 aggregate victory.
This triumph keeps Madrid’s domestic double hopes alive as they chase their first Copa del Rey trophy in over a decade. They now await either Barcelona or Atletico Madrid in what promises to be a blockbuster final in Seville next month.
