Gonçalo Guedes Shines as Real Sociedad’s Key Player

Gonçalo Guedes scored at San Mamés, marking his sixth goal in the current La Liga season, all of which have come in the last 12 matches. This performance reinforces his excellent form and underscores his status as a standout signing for Real Sociedad last summer, arguably the best in the last three years, although that is a relatively low bar.

Once again, Guedes was a starter for Real, maintaining his position in the lineup for the past 12 La Liga matches. He has earned his place as an indispensable player for the coaches, initially for Sergio Francisco, then Jon Ansotegi, and now Pellegrino Matarazzo.

Initially, the blanquiazul team saw Guedes play only four times in the first ten matches due to his subpar fitness and the preference for other players. However, he became crucial in the derby victory earlier in the season and contributed significantly in a win at El Sadar. Despite a setback against Girona, where his goal was overshadowed by the defeat, he netted important goals against Atlético Madrid and in a significant victory over Barcelona, leading up to his latest goal yesterday.

In yesterday’s match, after a well-placed header was saved brilliantly by Unai Simón, Guedes redeemed himself by scoring from a long-range shot following a corner, putting Real ahead 1-0 just before halftime.

At that moment, Guedes likely hoped his goal would lead to a fourth consecutive win. However, after being substituted late in the match, he watched as Athletic Club equalized and nearly took the lead. In the end, he was able to take some solace in securing a point, solidifying his reputation as one of the top performers in La Liga.