Athletic Bilbao will have a chance to win two Copa del Rey titles in a two-week span next month after reaching the final of this year's competition with a 2-1 win over Levante.
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The Basque Country club's win after extra time on Thursday sets up an April 17 final against Barcelona, who advanced past Sevilla on Wednesday.
But first, on April 3, Athletic face Basque rivals Real Sociedad in last season's final, which was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Alex Berenguer scored the winner seven minutes into the second half of extra time to eliminate Levante, who were trying to reach their first Copa final. The teams drew 1-1 in regulation, repeating the score from the first leg in Bilbao.
This season's final will feature the two most successful Copa clubs. Barcelona are looking for a record 31st title while Athletic will try to lift the trophy for the 24th time.
Athletic beat Barcelona in the 2015 final for their last Copa title. Barcelona won the tournament for the last time in 2018.
Levante had not reached the semi-finals since 1935.
Both teams missed chances to score the winner in regulation, and Berenguer decided the game with a shot from outside the area that deflected off a defender and hit the post before going into the net.
Roger Marti had put the hosts ahead with a goal from close range in the 17th, and Athletic equalised with a penalty converted by Raul Garcia in the 30th.
The teams also met in Valencia last weekend in the Spanish league, drawing 1-1.
Athletic haven't lost in their last six matches in all competitions, but earned only one other victory during that streak - at Cadiz in the Spanish league. The other four matches had also ended in 1-1 draws.
Levante won a 1937 tournament that replaced the Copa del Rey during the Civil War, but the Spanish soccer federation doesn't recognise it as a Copa title.
Australian Associated Press
