Real Sociedad are based in the city of San Sebastian, located in the northern autonomous region of Spain known as the Basque Country. Next season, they will be playing their 17th consecutive La Liga season and will look to build on their performance from last season.
Read on for our Real Sociedad preview for the 2026/27 season.
Real Sociedad’s 2025/26 Campaign
Before we move into the Real Sociedad preview for the next season, it is crucial to discuss La Real’s previous campaign.
In the 2025/26 La Liga season, Real Sociedad finished 10th with 46 points. But more importantly, La Real won the Copa del Rey after beating Atlético Madrid in the final on penalties.
Real Sociedad’s start to last season was not impressive by any means. After the first 17 games, they had collected only 17 points and were just two points away from the relegation zone.
Appointment of the New Real Sociedad Manager: Pellegrino Matarazzo
The club then took a crucial decision to part ways with the Spanish manager, Sergio Francisco, in December 2025.
Sociedad replaced Sergio with the American manager, Pellegrino Matarazzo. The new Real Sociedad manager breathed life back into the team, and Txuri-urdin started winning again.
La Real went nine games without a loss in January and early February, which included victories against the champions, Barcelona, and arch-rivals Athletic Club Bilbao.
Background of the New Real Sociedad Manager
Pellegrino Matarazzo is an Italian American who completed his degree in Mathematics from Columbia University. After his graduation, he gave himself a chance in football as a player and moved to Italy. But things did not work out as he had hoped.
He then moved to Germany and started coaching in 1. FC Nürnberg’s youth teams. Later, in his coaching stints with VfB Stuttgart and TSG Hoffenheim, he helped Stuttgart gain promotion to the Bundesliga in 2020 and led Hoffenheim to qualify for the UEFA Europa League in 2024.
Sociedad’s Style of Play Under Matarazzo
We will start our Real Sociedad preview for 2026/27 by discussing Matarazzo’s tactics.
Matarazzo prefers a much more energetic and adaptable style of play.
Sociedad’s problem in the first half of the last season was that they were trying to play with the ball by stretching the pitch and dominating possession. That idea did not suit the players at their disposal, and opponents caught them out because of their slow build-up and poor defensive positioning.
Matarazzo introduced a much more direct and flexible way of playing.
Under the new Real Sociedad manager, the team started pressing the opponents high up the pitch and played much more direct football. But depending on the opposition, they were not hesitant to drop deep into a mid-to-low block and defend their goal. In an interview with Transfermarkt, the Real Sociedad manager, Matarazzo, said:
“It’s important to be flexible. Every game has a different key.”
Statistical Differences in Francisco and Matrazzo’s Approaches at Anoeta
The changes to the team’s performance were quite evident just a few weeks into Matarazzo’s stint.
Opta Analyst’s statistics reveal the difference in Real Sociedad’s approach when we compare the stats of Matarazzo’s first nine games and Francisco’s half-season spell. The per 90 ball recoveries went from 46.67 under Francisco to 50.33 under Matarazzo after his first nine games at Anoeta.
Similarly, under Francisco, Sociedad used to win 65 duels per game, but under Matarazzo, that number went up to 77.6. The difference was even clearer in the number of goals scored and shots from fast breaks.
Francisco’s side had 1.39 goals with an average of 0.78 shots from fast breaks per match. On the contrary, Matarazzo’s Sociedad averaged 2 goals and 1.56 shots from fast breaks after the Real Sociedad manager had completed nine games at Reale Arena.
Real Sociedad Preview: Transfer Business at Anoeta
It’s important to address the relatively quiet transfer window at the Reale Arena in this Real Sociedad preview.
The only possible incoming as of now is Nayef Aguerd from Olympique de Marseille. The Moroccan centre-back brings a lot of experience and can provide good competition for the centre-back spot alongside Igor Zubeldia and the young sensation, Jon Martin.
The surprise move so far has been Brais Mendez’s departure. Leaving Europe, the 29-year-old midfielder has now joined MLS side Columbus Crew. The midfielder was a crucial part of Sociedad for the past four years, but under Matarazzo, he did not enjoy the same playing time as he previously did.
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Real Sociedad Preview: Key Players That Would Define La Real’s Next Season
A Real Sociedad preview wouldn’t be complete without discussing the players who will carry Sociedad’s next season.
Club captain Mikel Oyarzabal is returning after having a decent World Cup campaign. He started every game in the 2026 World Cup and scored five goals for the eventual winners, Spain.
His goal-scoring, high-pressing, and linking abilities up top would be key for Sociedad to have a good league and European campaign.
Another key player to keep an eye on is young centre-back wonderkid, Jon Martin. The 20-year-old has signed a new contract that ties him to the club until 2032. Last season, he reached and passed the milestone of 50 appearances for the club, and was impressive with his defensive abilities, especially in the air.
The midfield responsibilities would lie with Jon Gorrotxategi, Benat Turrientes, and Carlos Soler.
Expectations for the 2026/27 Season
Real Sociedad fans must remain optimistic about the club’s success in the upcoming season. This Real Sociedad preview suggests that La Real have a settled squad with the potential to compete in La Liga and the Europa League.
Apart from reaching the latter stages of the European competition, they must aim to secure the Champions League spots in La Liga. However, fighting in two different competitions at the same time might hamper their success.
A few signings that provide quality depth and competition at certain positions would certainly uplift Real Sociedad’s chances of achieving their season’s objectives successfully.
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