Getty Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.
Real Madrid will host Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Thursday at the Santiago Bernabéu.
In the United States, the match (1 p.m. ET start time) won’t be on TV anywhere, but anyone in the US can watch every Copa del Rey match live on ESPN+:
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ESPN+ is the digital streaming service from ESPN that has exclusive coverage of the Copa del Rey, plus other international soccer (including the FA Cup and Carabao Cup), other live sports every day, all the 30-for-30 documentaries, and additional original content (both video and written) all for $4.99 per month.
Or, if you also want the new Disney+ streaming service and Hulu, you can get all three for $12.99 per month, which works out to 25 percent savings:
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Once signed up for ESPN+, you can then watch Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad live on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or other streaming device via the ESPN app.
Real Madrid vs Real Sociedad Preview
Real Madrid have gone 21 consecutive matches without a defeat across all competitions, most recently edging Atlético Madrid 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Following a scoreless first half, Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane subbed out midfielders Isco and Toni Kroos in favor of midfielder Lucas Vázquez and striker Vinícius Júnior.
In the 56th minute, Vinícius played a through ball for Ferland Mendy toward the Atlético goal line. The French defender one-timed a cross that found striker Karim Benzema, who did the rest at the back post for the match’s lone tally.
“I wasn’t happy with what I was seeing on the pitch, but that’s not the players’ responsibility, it’s mine,” Zidane said, according to the club’s official website. “I didn’t like how it was going and ultimately I brought off Isco and Kroos, but it could have been any two. We had to change something. We did it at half-time, and we started to open the pitch up more, press high, we were better all round. I take responsibility for the first half.
“We’re all here to do the same thing. The changes altered the game but I don’t like to take off two players at the break. But I had to do something, we did it and that’s that.”
Real Madrid reached the Copa del Rey quarter-finals by demolishing Segunda División side Zaragoza 4-0 in the round of 16. Real Sociedad had more of a challenge in the round, breaking a one-goal-apiece draw with top-flight side Osasuna in the 61st minute en route to a 3-1 victory.
Martin Ødegaard, a 21-year-old midfielder who’s on loan from Real Madrid, had a hand in all three Real Sociedad tallies. He netted the game-winner, receiving a through ball on a rush to the goal line and nestling a low shot inside the far post, and assisted the others.
When Real Sociedad met Real Madrid in La Liga play on Nov. 23, the Norwegian managed a trio of shots on goal, but he couldn’t break through as his side fell 3-1. Los Blancos sit atop the league table with 49 points through 22 matches; Real Sociedad have 34 points through 22 tilts, good for eighth place.
“I think we completed a very good performance in La Liga, especially during the first 40 minutes before they got the lead, we have to play like that for 90 minutes and if we do that I think we can win,” Ødegaard said, according to Onefootball.
“This is the quarter-finals, a very special game. We’re all very excited and we want to advance to the next round. It’d be a dream to achieve something big in the Copa del Rey.”