Athletic Club emphatically defeated Prat 6-1 in the Copa del Rey on Thursday, October 29, 2026. The victory was particularly notable as three of the club’s academy prospects netted their first senior goals, highlighting the depth and talent emerging from their youth ranks. The match, played at the Estadi La Feixa Llarga in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, saw Athletic Club comfortably advance to the next round of the competition.
Maroan Sannadi opened the scoring for Athletic Club in the 29th minute, quickly followed by Robert Navarro just two minutes later, with Mikel Jauregizar assisting both goals. Prat managed to pull one back in the 33rd minute through Gustavo Reinke, assisted by Álex Plaza. However, Nico Serrano restored Athletic’s two-goal cushion three minutes later from a Jesús Areso pass. The second half saw a late surge of goals from the academy players. Vizcay initiated this flurry, followed by Aritz Conde, and Selton Sánchez completed the scoring, securing Athletic Club’s sixth goal of the night.
Squad Rotation Ahead of Basque Derby
Athletic Club manager Edin Terzić opted for significant squad rotation, giving opportunities to several players ahead of a crucial La Liga fixture. This strategic move allowed key first-team members to rest while providing valuable senior experience to younger talents. The rotation proved successful, maintaining the team’s attacking prowess throughout the match.
The club is now set to face rivals Real Sociedad in a highly anticipated La Liga Basque derby on Sunday, November 1. This upcoming match, kicking off at San Mamés, is a significant fixture in their league campaign, making the successful rotation in the Copa del Rey a positive outcome for Terzić’s side.
Dominant Display Secures Progression
The statistics from the match underscored Athletic Club’s dominance. They maintained 68% possession and registered 20 shots from inside the box, with 12 attempts on target. Prat’s goalkeeper was kept busy, making six saves throughout the game. In contrast, Prat managed only two shots on target. Robert Navarro was a standout performer, earning a 9.2 rating and providing seven key passes in his 86 minutes on the pitch. Aritz Conde also impressed during his half-hour appearance, achieving an 8.2 rating.
Prat, who had entered the tie on the back of strong performances, beating San Rafael 5-1 and 5-0 in their two previous matches, found Athletic Club a formidable opponent.
Copa del Rey Journey Continues
With this comprehensive victory, Athletic Club progresses to the next stage of the Copa del Rey. The competition, which began with 112 clubs in its first national round, is scheduled to run until April 24, 2027. The second round is set for December 2, followed by the last 32 on December 16, and the last 16 on January 6. Athletic Club will be looking to build on this strong start as they aim for another deep run in the cup, reminiscent of their recent Copa title journey which began in November 2023.