"Mbappe was offside in Real Madrid’s third goal"

Real Sociedad captain Mikel Oyarzabal described as “cruel and hard” the end of their Copa del Rey run after being eliminated in the semifinals at the Santiago Bernabeu to Real Madrid (4-4 in the second leg and 5-4 on aggregate) following a goal by Antonio Rudiger in the 115th minute, and criticised a refereeing decision prior to the 'Merengues' third goal. “It's a bit cruel and hard that, in those final minutes from a corner and in that way, you get beaten. It's a shame now, a tough moment, but we have to turn it around as soon as possible and focus on what's left of La Liga,” said Oyarzabal in the mixed zone.

The striker of the Donostia-San Sebastian team pointed out that both he and his teammates protested the decision of the referee, Javier Alberola Rojas, not to flag a positional offside of Kylian Mbappe before the corner that led to Real Madrid's third goal. “I saw Mbappe offside as he interferes with the centre-back. I think it conditions Igor - Zubeldia's - decision, but the corner is later and this is the way it is,” he explained.

“Look at their squad. It doesn't matter who plays, who comes in, who starts.... They are where they are for a reason. We have to leave with our heads held high and proud of what we have done. We were confident that we could turn around the semi-final tie at the Santiago Bernabeu and that speaks well of what we have achieved in recent years. Now, it's time to focus on La Liga and get back into Europe, which is our objective,” he said.

“Not many people believed that we could turn it around; we did. That speaks of what the team transmits and believes in. It's a shame because there were small details that don't work out,” he added.