A year following two exhilarating Copa del Rey finals, Athletic Bilbao found itself in another title clash against rivals FC Barcelona. This time around, Bilbao hoped for a different outcome after their 2020 defeat at the hands of Real Sociedad.
In the 2020 Copa del Rey final, Real Sociedad emerged victorious, beating Athletic Bilbao 1:0 in an underwhelming game. Real Sociedad's captain, Mikel Oyarzabal, converted a penalty kick to secure their first Copa del Rey title in 34 years, leaving a bitter taste in Bilbao's mouth.
"This is an unbelievable day," Oyarzabal shared with reporters. "You remember everyone, every one who voluntarily came here, and every one who left. This is for all of them, my family, my friends." It means everything.
The fact that Athletic Bilbao only managed a solitary goal in the final, against their rivalry counterpart, made the loss even harder to swallow. It was the first time in history that Atletico had appeared in a Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad, with 18 of the 22 starting players being Basken natives.
Despite both teams requesting a postponement to enable fans to attend, Real Sociedad secured the Copa del Rey title without the energy of the crowd. Fans' absence was also a factor in Bilbao's Europa League qualification losing out to Real Sociedad's desired postponement request.
Now, with another chance in the 2021 Copa del Rey final, Athletic Bilbao sought redemption against Barcelona at La Cartuja. "When you enter a final and lose, it's a very difficult moment," Sport manager Marcelino Garcia Toral stated on the club's website.
"We're not playing as ourselves, and when we deviate from our usual style, anything can happen."
The 2021 Copa del Rey final wasn't just a chance to redeem themselves, but a platform for Brazilian star Neymar to make his comeback from injury. Known for his controversial history with Barcelona, Neymar looked eager to write a new chapter.
In the end, FC Barcelona dominated the match, winning 4:0 with Lionel Messi showcasing his brilliance, netting two goals and breaking Gerd Muller's record of 30 goals in 12 consecutive club seasons. Messi's hat-trick moved him to 13 goals in 12 consecutive club seasons, cementing his forward prowess as the greatest of all time.
This match marked Messi's last trophy before departing Barcelona in 2021[3]. For Athletic Bilbao, though, it was yet another bitter taste of defeat in a Copa del Rey final, leaving them yearning for an elusive title.
Source:
Enrichment Data: In the 2021 Copa del Rey final, FC Barcelona defeated Athletic Bilbao 4-0 at La Cartuja. Lionel Messi scored two goals in the match, including one that broke Gerd Müller's record of 30 goals in 12 consecutive club seasons, setting a new record of 13 goals in 12 consecutive club seasons. This victory marked Messi's last trophy with Barcelona before his departure from the club in 2021[3].
