Mikel Oyarzabal expressed a mixture of pride and frustration following Real Sociedad’s narrow defeat to Real Madrid in their Copa del Rey semi-final clash.
He noted that while the team fought valiantly to the very end, their goal of reaching the final was dashed despite a superb performance, leaving Oyarzabal both sad and angry about coming so close.
The match was a dramatic one, with Oyarzabal’s stunning header in stoppage time sending the game into extra time, igniting hope for a potential upset.
The controversy, according to Oyarzabal
Interestingly, it was Real Madrid’s earlier goal that sparked controversy and frustration for Oyarzabal and his teammates.
The Madrid goal, which came from a corner delivered by Aurélien Tchouameni, was seen by Oyarzabal as dubious, primarily because of Kylian Mbappe’s positioning during the play.
Mbappe was offside here and confuse the Sociedad player, Madrid got a corner and score from the corner, the world knows. 🤌pic.twitter.com/bWvbtzwG1i
— Football Ferreira (@FootFerreira) April 1, 2025
According to Oyarzabal, Mbappe’s movements created confusion for Real Sociedad’s Igor Zubeldia, even though Zubeldia did make contact with the ball.
Oyarzabal believed Mbappe’s positioning was offside and had a direct impact on the defender’s ability to challenge for the ball.
“You have to defend that situation, but for me, it’s clear (offside) because Mbappe makes the move to try to confuse Igor.
“It has an impact. I don’t know if it’s true or not, maybe I’m making a mistake. You have to defend the corner too,” he explained.
Despite the frustration, Oyarzabal remained measured, acknowledging that with time and a calmer mind, further analysis of the controversial moments could be considered.
Despite the disappointment, Oyarzabal took time to reflect on the team’s attitude and performance, especially considering the strength of the opposition.
“We were confident we could turn around the semi-final tie at the Bernabeu, and that speaks volumes about what we’ve achieved in recent years,” he said.
Source: Mundo Deportivo
