Getafe continue push for Europe with narrow victory over Copa del Rey winners Real Sociedad

After securing the Copa del Rey triumph over Atlético Madrid in the final at the weekend, Real Sociedad seemed to revel in the post-match festivities.

Based on their display in the opening 45 minutes, the celebrations appeared to take a toll, as they found it difficult to impose themselves on the game.

Nevertheless, they created a prime chance to break the deadlock within the first 15 minutes, earning a penalty when Abdel Abqar blocked Brais Mendéz’s header with his hand.

Although Mendéz took the kick himself, he struck the upright, granting Getafe a crucial let-off.

Orri Óskarsson was subsequently thwarted by David Soria, though from an awkward position, prior to the hosts grabbing the lead just before the 30-minute mark in somewhat lucky fashion.

Juan Iglesias sent a speculative delivery into the penalty area, which Jon Gorrotxategi headed, only managing to divert it towards the target, where it looped painfully over Álex Remiro and dropped into the net.

From that point up to the interval, there were few noteworthy moments, leaving Real Sociedad requiring a marked upturn in the second period to salvage something from the match.

In the period from the restart until the 60th minute, the visitors introduced three fresh faces, including Ander Barrenetxea, who shot narrowly above the bar from close range.

Barrenetxea stood out as his team’s most lively player, despite entering after the break, but his energy failed to yield many genuine openings, with Getafe maintaining a solid defensive buffer.

Ultimately, Getafe showed no signs of relinquishing their advantage, positioning themselves strongly to end in the league’s top 10 for the first time since the 2019/20 campaign.

For Real Sociedad, this marked their initial loss at home in 2026, although with their fresh trophy conquest, they are hardly likely to dwell on it.

With a spot in next season’s UEFA Europa League assured irrespective of their final standing, Real Sociedad can now relax through the rest of the campaign.