Real Sociedad Prepares for Crucial La Liga Return Under New Coach

Real Sociedad will commence preparations for their return to competition on Monday, January 29, with Pellegrino Matarazzo at the helm as the new head coach. The primary objective is to improve their ranking in La Liga and steer clear of relegation, a challenging endeavor given that their upcoming opponents include Atlético de Madrid, Getafe, Barcelona, Celta, Athletic Bilbao, Elche, and Real Madrid—all teams currently positioned in the upper half of the table.

As of the conclusion of 2025, Real Sociedad has managed to secure only 17 points from their 17 matches, leaving them just two points above the relegation zone. This precarious situation led to the dismissal of Sergio Francisco and the appointment of Matarazzo, who took over after Jon Ansotegi served as interim coach for a week.

Matarazzo must secure victories immediately, as he acknowledged during his introductory press conference. The first step involves restoring both the team’s technical and emotional levels, as they have been performing significantly below expectations. Additionally, the team needs to focus on collecting three points per match, which appears to be a daunting task considering the strength of their early-year opponents.

The txuriurdin will kick off their La Liga campaign with a match against Atlético de Madrid on Sunday, January 4, a team that has recorded fewer defeats (three) than the four victories achieved by Real Sociedad. Following this, they will face a challenging away game against Getafe, with Barcelona visiting San Sebastián soon after. Additional tough fixtures include matches against Celta, Athletic Bilbao at San Mamés, Elche at Anoeta, and Real Madrid at the Bernabéu.

Real Sociedad must capitalize on points against teams in the upper tier of the standings, especially since they have failed to secure wins against any of the bottom six teams. They have garnered only 11 of the 30 points contested against teams currently positioned in the lower half of the table. It is imperative for Matarazzo to instigate an immediate turnaround, as failure to do so will further complicate their situation.