Real Sociedad coach Pellegrino Matarazzo insisted his side will not have "the handbrake on" when they face rivals Athletic Club in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final.

La Real qualified for the last four with a 3-2 win over Alaves, with four of their five wins in the competition this season coming away from home.

They are enjoying their best-ever unbeaten away run in the Copa del Rey (W12 D2), keeping 10 clean sheets in their last 14 road games in the competition.

The Basque side have kept a clean sheet in 20 of their last 30 away games in the competition, as many as they did in their previous 59.

Matarazzo's side are also in fine form. In 2026, only Paulo Fonseca's Lyon (with nine wins in nine games) have played more games in all competitions without defeat than La Real (W5 D3 in eight games).

Ahead of their trip to Bilbao on Wednesday, Matarazzo made it clear that La Real would not approach the match any differently due to it being a two-legged tie.

"No, we're playing because we want the best possible result," said Matarazzo when asked if his tactics would be different due to it being the first leg.

"We have 180 minutes to play, and the game isn't over after 90 minutes, but we have to get the best possible result and the best possible performance from our team, and that's our mentality.

"We're not going to Bilbao with the handbrake on. If we're too cautious or careful, there's a risk we won't be competitive enough to withstand the pressure at San Mames.

"Therefore, we have to go there with intensity and connection. We have to keep doing all the things that have made us strong in recent weeks, because otherwise, we won't function very well."

𝐖𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋 pic.twitter.com/z2cSmUMzqI

— Real Sociedad  (@RealSociedadEN) February 10, 2026

This will be the 11th Copa del Rey knockout tie between Athletic Club and Real Sociedad.

Athletic have progressed in seven of these matches, while La Real have won three, including the last two: the 1987 semi-finals (0-0 in San Sebastian and a 1-0 away win in Bilbao) and the 2020 final (1-0 thanks to a Mikel Oyarzabal penalty).

Former Athletic striker Fernando Llorente believes the home side must take the opportunity to reach the Copa del Rey final at the expense of their Basque rivals.

"It’s a special match because of the respect and the great atmosphere. The competition is fierce; it’s a very hard-fought derby," said Llorente.

"Real Sociedad has changed and is playing very well since Matarazzo arrived. Athletic is coming off a Champions League elimination, but reaching the Cup semi-finals has the fans very excited.

"The possibility of reaching the final by beating Real Sociedad would be even sweeter. Athletic needs to turn things around after their recent performances. They need to play to their full potential. There have been a lot of injuries."