Matarazzo’s Promising Debut with Real Sociedad Falls Short of Victory

omidbasir- Pellegrino Matarazzo infused Real Sociedad with a level of energy that had seemingly been absent until yesterday. The team completed a match in which they registered an impressive 18 shots against Atlético Madrid, making a compelling case for victory. This was the only element lacking for the Italian-American to achieve a perfect debut as the new head coach and in LaLiga.

Matarazzo surprised observers even before the match began, as all players took to the Anoeta pitch simultaneously for their initial warm-up. They later split into starters and substitutes. Once the game commenced, it became evident that the formation he practiced during his first training session was a 1-4-2-3-1 with the ball, while defensively, they appeared to adopt a 1-4-4-2 setup. This strategy bore fruit with several successful presses, leading to early clear chances, including two left-footed attempts from Oyarzabal and Brais Méndez—one narrowly grazing the post and the other forcing Oblak into a save.

Standing throughout the match from the first whistle, the Italian-American coach provided tactical instructions despite language barriers. He even engaged in dialogue with the fourth official, who admonished him for stepping out of his technical area, to which he seemed to dismiss lightly.

Matarazzo, along with his assistants John Maisano and Omer Toprak, celebrated with great enthusiasm when Alexander Sorloth inadvertently scored an own goal just before halftime. However, their joy was short-lived as VAR quickly informed Munuera that Brais Méndez was offside and had influenced the play leading to the Norwegian’s misfortune.

Upon returning from the locker room, the new coach protested an offside call against Oyarzabal, justifiably so, as the forward was not ahead of the last defender. His frustration escalated a few minutes later when Sorloth netted the opening goal for Atlético.

Fortunately for Matarazzo, Guedes equalized just five minutes later, allowing the coach to celebrate once again. His team demonstrated superiority over Simeone’s side and created more opportunities, particularly through Turrientes and Kubo, both of which were thwarted by Oblak, who excelled in the second half. Kubo persisted but was again unsuccessful, and Carlos Soler narrowly missed a chance to win the match, once more leaving Real Sociedad without the necessary goal that would have secured Matarazzo’s first victory.

At the conclusion of the match, the coach joined his players in acknowledging the support of the fans, who rewarded the team’s effort and commendable performance with applause. However, the urgent need for a victory looms ahead, especially with the upcoming match against Getafe next Friday, which is crucial for improving their standing in the league.