He Took a Team from the Brink and Rewrote European History. Matarazzo: It's Not Just My Credit

His team defeated Atletico Madrid 4-3 in a penalty shootout in the final at the Seville stadium, after the match ended 2-2 in regular time and extra time. Slovak defender Dávid Hancko, who was injured, was absent from the defeated finalist's lineup.

The 48-year-old New Jersey-born coach joined the club in December when San Sebastian was just above the relegation zone. However, Matarazzo managed to lift them, turn around a poor start to the season, and lead them to a trophy, which also guarantees participation in Europe. "This is probably the first major trophy for an Italian-American," said Matarazzo, who was born to Italian immigrants in the USA.

His team had a blistering start, with Ander Barrenetxea scoring after just 14 seconds. This made it the fastest goal in Copa del Rey final history. The Spanish midfielder headed home a cross from Goncalo Guedes at the La Cartuja stadium in Seville. He surpassed Manuel Badenes' previous record from Valencia, who scored in the 1952 final against Barcelona (1-2) after 17 seconds.

Atletico equalized in the 19th minute through Ademola Lookman. Towards the end of the half, Goncalo Guedes met a cross, and in an aerial challenge, he was fouled by goalkeeper Juan Musso, leading to a penalty. Mikel Oyarzabal converted it, putting Real back in the lead. After the break, spectators saw fewer chances, but Atletico converted a crucial one to equalize.

Julian Alvarez sent the match into extra time in the 83rd minute. No goals were scored in extra time, although Orri Oskarsson on one side and Alvarez on the other could have decided it. In the shootout, the San Sebastian players ultimately held their nerve, securing their fourth trophy in this competition, having last won it in 2020.

Pablo Marin converted the decisive penalty in the fifth round. "That was the moment I realized it was real. You envision success, you believe in it, and you trust the players, but until you cross the finish line, you don't truly feel it's happening. And then suddenly it does. When he scored that penalty, it took me a few moments to process it, but then it was pure joy," Matarazzo said.

His first match on the San Sebastian bench was against Atletico on January 4th, where his team drew 1-1 at home against the favorites. In the next eight games, they boasted a record of seven wins and only one draw, climbing from the bottom of the table and reaching the cup final. Out of nineteen matches under Matarazzo's leadership across all competitions, they won twelve, drew four, and lost only three times. They remained undefeated at home.

"It's not just my credit; we have fantastic players with incredible character. Behind the success is the daily work and dedication that we all have towards this team and this club," he stated.

Saturday's triumph marked the first major trophy for most of Real Sociedad's players, many of whom came through the club's academy. However, it wasn't for captain Oyarzabal, who was part of the cup-winning squad in 2020.

"It's hard to win a trophy with the team of your life. After this, my career is complete, and I can die happy," declared the Spanish international, who also scored from a penalty six years ago to secure a 1-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao. However, that was in front of empty stands due to the coronavirus pandemic.

On Saturday, Marin decided the shootout. "I tried not to think about anything, to be calm and composed. It's incredible to experience this with these amazing people," he said.

Atletico Madrid last won the Copa del Rey in 2013, and their coach Diego Simeone lamented the missed chances before the penalty shootout.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't convert them," he stated. However, his team still has a chance to lift a trophy, as they face Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals. Simeone, though, said he needed time to recover from the loss in Seville. "I'm not thinking about Arsenal; what happened today hurts me a lot. We needed to win, and we couldn't," he added.