Athletic Club Beat Mallorca In Copa del Rey Final Ending 40-year Drought

Athletic Club clinched their 24th Copa del Rey title in a heart-stopping final against Mallorca that unraveled in Seville.

From the outset, it was evident that both teams were intent on leaving everything on the field. It took until the 16th minute for the first shot on target, with Iñigo Ruiz testing the Mallorca defense. The deadlock was eventually broken by Mallorca’s Dani Rodríguez, who scored a stunning goal to put his team ahead.

The Lions were hungry in their search for an equalizer and thought they’d leveled via Nico Williams’ effort from eight yards, which was ruled out for offside before he shot wide from an identical position moments before HT.

Mallorca almost found themselves two goals to the good barely seconds after the restart, when Cyle Larin displayed impressive speed & strength to sprint clear before forcing Julen Agirrezabala into a smart save.

Nico Williams displayed remarkable composure as he skillfully released Oihan Sancet into space, who clinically dispatched his shot from close range into the back of the net. Gorka Guruzeta had a golden opportunity to put Athletic ahead but faltered at the crucial moment, setting the stage for a tense moment in the match.

With belief increasing within the Basque team, coach Ernesto Valverde made tactical substitutions that swung the momentum back in Athletic’s favor. Mallorca, sensing the threat, reverted to a defensive stance, slowing the pace of the game & forcing extra time as tension mounted in the stands.

Extra time yielded few clear chances, with Williams & Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi both coming close but failing to find the back of the net.

The match led up to a nerve-wracking penalty shootout, where Athletic goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala emerged as the hero, saving two crucial penalties to pave the way for Álex Berenguer’s decisive spot-kick that sealed the victory for Athletic and ignited scenes of jubilation in Bilbao.

The triumph marked a historic moment for Athletic Club, ending a drought of cup final defeats & reaffirming their status as one of Spain’s most successful clubs. Mallorca, despite their valiant effort, fell short in their quest for a second Copa del Rey title, as Athletic’s resilience and determination proved overwhelming on the night.