Madrid, March 3 (IANS) Real Sociedad are the favourites to book a ticket to the final of the Copa del Rey in a Basque derby against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday. Real Sociedad won 1-0 in Athletic Bilbao’s San Mames Stadium in February through Benat Turrientes’ goal.

Athletic Bilbao have improved since that game, partly due to the return of players such as Dani Vivian, Yuri Berchiche, and Oihan Sancet from injury. At the same time, winger Alex Berenguer also appeared as a substitute in Saturday’s 1-1 draw away to Rayo Vallecano.

The bad news for Athletic Bilbao is that midfielder Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta is unlikely to play after dislocating his shoulder at the weekend, reports Xinhua.

Real Sociedad are still without winger Takefusa Kubo, but have winger Ander Barrenetxea available after he missed the first leg. Barrenetxea adds to coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s options in a rapid and mobile Real Sociedad attack led by Spain international Mikel Oyarzabal.

Atletico Madrid crushed FC Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of the other semifinal, with the return leg scheduled on Tuesday.

Now, in the return leg of that match, Barcelona face a massive task as they look to overhaul the huge deficit.

Three weeks down the line, Barcelona have recovered, with Raphinha fully fit once again, Lamine Yamal back to his best, and midfielder Pedri recovered from the hamstring injury that kept him out of the game at the Metropolitano Stadium.

Barcelona will also have taken confidence from an impressive 4-1 win over Villarreal on Saturday, inspired by a Lamine Yamal hat-trick, with Pedri and Marc Bernal pulling the strings in midfield. Frenkie de Jong tore his hamstring last week and misses the game, and Robert Lewandowski will be out on Tuesday after suffering a fractured eye socket against Villarreal, but Marcus Rashford will return after a substitute appearance on Saturday.

Atletico coach Diego Simeone rested several key players at the weekend, with defenders David Hancko, Marc Pubill and Matteo Ruggeri all on the bench for the lucky 1-0 win in Oviedo. Giuliano Simeone and Julian Alvarez were also substitutes along with Antoine Griezmann, Marcos Llorente and Koke, and all will start on Tuesday night.

–IANS

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