A place in the Copa del Rey semi-finals is up for grabs on Wednesday night when Deportivo Alavés welcome Real Sociedad to Mendizorroza for a rare quarter-final Basque derby. Alavés come into this tie full of confidence after their recent La Liga comeback win over Espanyol, a result that underlined their growing solidity and belief this season, as reported by SoftFootball.
That victory has strengthened the feeling that Mendizorroza is becoming a tough stop for any visiting side. Real Sociedad, meanwhile, arrive unbeaten in eight matches across all competitions and fresh from settling into life with Wesley joining the squad, as recently confirmed by SoftFootball.
Despite injury issues, La Real have shown resilience in big moments, including their dramatic Copa del Rey penalty win over Osasuna, and they travel knowing their away record in this competition is impressive.
Speaking ahead of the match in a video shared by the club’s official X account, Matarazzo stressed both belief and ambition within his squad, noting the importance of the fixture while backing his players to deliver. He praised the collective spirit at the club and the progress made since his arrival.
He said:
I have complete confidence in this team, and we have an exciting second half of the season ahead.
Watch the video below:
Team News
Alavés will be without Carlos Protesoni and Denis Suárez due to muscle injuries, while Antonio Blanco is suspended after picking up his fifth yellow card. Long-term absentee Nikola Maras also remains sidelined. Eduardo Coudet still has enough depth to keep his preferred structure intact.
Real Sociedad have more concerns. Takefusa Kubo, Ander Barrenetxea, Arsen Zakharyan and Unai Marrero are all ruled out. Captain Mikel Oyarzabal is a major doubt, which could blunt their attack. Duje Caleta-Car returns from suspension, and Brais Méndez is available for the cup despite his recent red card in La Liga.
Possible Lineups
Deportivo Alavés: Sivera; Jonny, Tenaglia, Pacheco, Enriquez; Calebe, Ibáñez, Guevara, Abderrahman; Toni Martínez, Lucas Boyé.
Real Sociedad: Remiro; Aramburu, Zubeldia, Caleta-Car, Gomez; Soler, Gorrotxategi; Guedes, Méndez, Wesley; Oskarsson.
SoftFootball’s Prediction
This feels like one of those cup nights where margins will be tiny. Alavés have conceded no goals in this Copa del Rey campaign, and their recent head-to-head record against Sociedad gives them confidence. The visitors, however, bring more knockout experience and an excellent away run in the competition.
Prediction: Deportivo Alavés 1-1 Real Sociedad.
