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6 months ago
49 ARTICLE AD
Enchanted memory of Catalonia, true trauma of the City of Lights, the historic comeback carried out by FC Barcelona, on March 8, 2017 at Camp Nou, against Paris Saint-Germain (0-4 on the first leg, 6-1 on the return ) necessarily remains a source of inspiration for Real Sociedad at the time of writing these lines. With its back against the wall after its defeat (0-2) at the Parc des Princes on February 14, the Basque club will necessarily be keen to reverse the trend in less than two weeks and thus make Parisians experience a new nightmare. Carried by its audience and the incandescent atmosphere of Anoeta, Imanol Alguacil’s troops will have to pull out all the stops. Yes, but a few days before this crucial meeting, the Txuri-urdinak have not clearly not in favor of the predictions and the recent events experienced by the team based in San Sebastian are not likely to bully the bookmakers…
Friday evening, the club chaired by Jokin Aperribay once again demonstrated all its current fragility. Defeated (1-3) at home by Marcelino’s Villarreal, OM’s future opponent in the round of 16 of the Europa League, the Basques continue, more than ever, to worry. With only one small victory in the last seven matches in all competitions (3 draws and 3 defeats), Real Sociedad finds itself, today, stuck in sixth place in La Liga, relegated 14 points from the podium and threatened by Real Betis with a game in hand. More than the poor balance sheet of the Spanish team, the content of the services carried out by Takefusa Kubo’s teammates is also worrying. Facing the Yellow Submarine and as observed during the round of 16 first leg against PSG, the Blue and White (again) demonstrated an alarming lack of offensive realism.
Real Sociedad loses another match and players…
Ultra-dominant throughout the match – at least in collective control (70% ball possession) – Real Sociedad only finally found the net once, despite 21 shots attempted in this part (8 on target)… If Mikel Merino, who came on for the last half hour, had the merit of giving hope to his team (86th), the locals nevertheless suffered the law of the Groguets, for their part irresistible in the last meters (3 goals in 4 shots on target). Offensive difficulties reminiscent of those seen against the club from the French capital (0 shots on target in 9 attempts). Now plunged into doubt and clumsy for several weeks in front of goal (2 small achievements in the last 7 matches in all competitions), the club founded in 1909 must, moreover, manage a multitude of physical problems. Still deprived of its captain Mikel Oyarzabal, absent during the first leg, Real thus lost three new players against Villarreal…
Stopped in his momentum from the first moments of the match, Ander Barrenetxea gave way to Jon Ander Olasagasti (7th), a much more defensive profile. Reprimanded by his coach and implicated in the two goals conceded in Paris, Hamari Traoré also left the pitch prematurely. After a duel in the air with Alberto Moreno, the former Stade Rennais defender fell badly and was replaced, at the break, by Jon Aramburu. Finally, to make matters worse for the Basque team, Arsen Zakharyan, a promising Russian midfielder aged only 20, also collapsed before the final whistle. Until then very active, the one who had notably found the visitors’ crossbar was finally forced to give up his arms, badly hit in the collarbone (71st). A definitely nightmarish evening and far from reassuring for Real Sociedad, in search of a huge feat against PSG on March 5…
