El Prat secures its spot and lines up as Athletic’s Cup opponent

At four in the afternoon, under a gray sky at the Municipal Sagnier in Sant Adrià, Prat confirmed its progression to the next round by defeating Sant Rafel 5-0, with goals from Adri Rivas and David Adán, after having won 5-1 in Ibiza, and is shaping up as Athletic’s next opponent in the first round of the Cup.

The draw and the confirmation of the opponent

Edin Terzic was in Vallecas yesterday Saturday, where the match was suspended due to unforeseen circumstances. According to Carlos Zaballa of EFE, the draw held last Monday at the sports city of Las Rozas set Prat as Athletic’s opponent in the first round of the Cup. As everything indicated, Terzic’s team now awaits to learn the winner of the duel between Prat and Sant Rafel.

The second match, scheduled for Sunday, was postponed due to bad weather. Today, at four in the afternoon, the encounter finally began, with Prat consolidating its advantage after the first‑leg victory.

Schedule and background of Athletic

The first Cup match for Athletic will be played on its artificial turf on Thursday, October 29, starting at nine at night. That date turned out to be the only one available in the Cup week scheduled by the RFEF. Tuesday the 27 could not be set because the lions face Getafe on the 25 at San Mamés, and the 28 is reserved for the Ordinary Assembly of Committed Members at the Euskalduna Palace.

It is presumed that Ibaigane agreed with the organization that the match would not coincide with those dates. The postponement of the second match did not change the accumulated advantage for Prat after the first‑leg victory.

Interestingly, the first round of the last Cup won by the lions in the 2023‑24 season was also contested against a Catalan team, Rubí. Then coached by Valverde, they overcame Cayón, Eibar, Alavés, Barça and Atlético before facing Mallorca in the La Cartuja final. Extra time ended 1‑1 and the lions lifted the title thanks to their better shooting in the penalty shootout.

Will this encounter with Prat be a good omen for Athletic’s new campaign? Athletic fans watch closely to see if the luck of the past is replicated in the next clash.