Copa del Rey Draw Gives Real Madrid a Break in Semis, No Clásico or Derby

The 24/25 season for Real Madrid is approaching its most critical moment. Not only because of the important matches in the defense of the LaLiga leadership or the Champions League knockout stages. This year, thanks to the good results of the white team, the treble is at stake for the first time in history.

Adding LaLiga, Copa del Rey, and Champions League to Santiago Bernabéu's trophy cabinet in the same season is a milestone that no white squad has achieved so far. The players coached by Carlo Ancelotti, despite the doubts created around their play this season, after Toni Kroos's retirement, are close to making it a reality.

To continue advancing in this objective, they will have to face Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey semifinals. This two-legged tie, the first and only of the revamped format of the so-called 'K.O. tournament,' will be played first at the Reale Arena and then at Santiago Bernabéu stadium.

This double match against the txuri-urdin team will result in high competitive tension encounters, especially because both clubs are eager to win more titles this season to please their fans. The final at La Cartuja, in Seville, awaits on the upcoming April 26, 2025.

Battle of Titans

The journey of the white team to these semifinals has been anything but easy. From the comfortable victory by a landslide against Deportiva Minera in the previous round to the two comeback victories that occurred in both the round of 16 and the quarterfinals. The match against Celta de Vigo, played at Santiago Bernabéu, went into extra time after squandering a two-goal lead.

The goals by Endrick and Arda Güler in the extra time closed a match of vital importance to dispel the 'ghosts' of poor sports performance and Carlo Ancelotti's dismissal. Something similar almost happened during the visit to Butarque, where again a two-goal lead was let slip. Borja Jiménez's pupils, however, were defeated with 30 seconds remaining thanks to a header by Gonzalo García.

The path of Imanol Alguacil's pupils has been less turbulent, but not easier. In fact, the Basque entity could only achieve a landslide victory in the first round, a match played against Jove Español. The semifinals against Real Madrid will take place in a stadium where they have played two knockout rounds: they have acted as hosts in both the round of 16 and the quarterfinals.

Those matches against Rayo Vallecano and Osasuna, respectively, were solved quite comfortably and without major problems for the blanquiazul discipline. In any case, they now face the biggest challenge of the season so far: fighting for a spot in the La Cartuja final against Real Madrid.