Real Sociedad lift Copa del Rey after Marrero shootout heroics sink Atlético

History has a pair unexpected heroes. Unai Marrero, a 24-year-old substitute goalkeeper, born in San Sebastián and raised at Real Sociedad, saved two penalties in the shootout to put his boyhood club within a single shot of victory on the what his captain had called the night of their lives. Then he embraced Pablo Marin, the former ballboy who now walked towards him carrying all of their hopes on his shoulders, and asked his teammate to take them over the line. So Marin, 22, and on as a substitute, did just that, stepping up and securing only the fourth Copa del Rey in la Real’s history, defeating Atlético Madrid from the spot after a 2-2 draw.

Last time they had won it, in 2021, it took a penalty. This time it took six of them; Mikel Oyarzabal, as he had done then, scored one during the 90 minutes on the way to a 2-2 draw and three more men did in the shootout. Back then, Real Sociedad had won the trophy it in an empty stadium, unable to avoid the feeling that something was missing. Now at last they had done it in front of thousands of fans in Seville – there to see a trophy lifted for the first time in 38 years.

What a moment this was for all of them, and especially for Rino Matarazzo. The man from Bergen County, New Jersey, with the degree in applied mathematics from Columbia has revived a side that was threatened with relegation but now stood here in Sevilla at midnight golding the cup to the sky. It had been a long night, with four goals, including the fastest in the competition’s history, and it had been done the hard way. But for Real Sociedad had the perfect ending.

Let’s begin at the beginning. The very beginning. It was 13 years since Atlético had been in a cup final and 13 seconds before they were behind. From the kick-off Real Sociedad went back to Marrero who hit it long up the pitch, multiple failures leading to a moment no one could have imagined.

Nahuel Molina watched it sail over his head without moving. Giuliano Simeone was beaten by the bounce. Marc Pubill didn’t react. Matteo Ruggeri was beaten in the air. And when Gonçalo Guedes’ cross was met by Ander Barrenetxea’s head, Juan Musso was a little slow to react, the ball dropping in.

Atlético equalised early when Antoine Griezmann slipped inside and Julián Alvarez let it run to Ademola Lookman. But Atlético were struggling and la Real took the lead again before half-time when Musso arrived too late for a free kick and, instead of the ball, caught Guedes with his fist. From the penalty spot, Oyarzabal – the Real Sociedad captain who scored the game’s only goal when they won the cup in this same but empty stadium five years ago – was the calmest man at La Cartuja scoring from the spot. This was his sixth final; he has scored in all of them.