Real Sociedad
City: San Sebastian
Colors:
Stadium: Anoeta (Reale Arena)
Last season: 6th 56p
Captain: Asier Illarramendi
Coach: Imanol Alguacil
Nicknames: Erreala, Txuri-urdin, La Real

Shirt: HOME

The Real Sociedad home shirt is very Real Sociedad.

There are some great details as well, with the letters RS engraved next to the emblem. The basque flag on the back of the neck and "Aupa Txuri Urdinak" written on the inside of the neck.

Shirt: AWAY

The away shirt is black with some patterns and red details, including the emblem.

Again the basque flag can be seen on the back of the neck and "Aupa Txuri Urdinak" written on the inside of the neck.

The best thing about the kit though, without a doubt, is how the club decided to unveil it.

As a thank you for everything they've been doing the last few months La Real invited essential workers to come and be the first ones to wear their new uniform.

Last season review:

LaLiga: 6th 56p (Europa League)
Copa del Rey: In the final (TBD)

Real Sociedad had an historic season in which they allowed their fans to dream about trophies again. For a big part of the season they were perhaps the best performing team in Spain.

However they had it difficult returning from the break brought on by the pandemic. It became more evident than ever how young the Real Sociedad squad is and their lack of experience. They got into a negative trend that they couldn't get out of and missed the Champions League spot

Most significant loss:

Martin Ødegaard only played one season for Real Sociedad but it felt like he had been there forever. He became a leader on the pitch and seemed to be that piece of the puzzle they had missed to become a title competing team.

Ødegaard was on a 1+1 loan at Real Sociedad from Real Madrid. In Spain you can only loan a player for one season, but there was an agreement between the clubs that this in fact was a two year loan.

However after his incredible season Real Madrid and Zidane changed their minds

A huge loss for Real Sociedad. But Ødegaard has already made such an impression in San Sebastian that he always will be loved by the fans at Anoeta.

Someone who definitely will miss him is his Scandinavian partner Alexander Isak, as the two had a magic connection last season.

Most significant new signing:

The heartbreak of losing Martin Ødegaard got a lot easier for the La Real fans to take when Real Sociedad out of nowhere announced that they had signed David Silva!

And this has potential to turn out to be the signing of the season in LaLiga!

It won't be the first time David Silva play for a team in the Basque country or Guipúzcoa for that matter.

In 2004-05 he played on loan from Valencia at Eibar in the second division. It was a historic season for the club that almost won LaLiga promotion for the first time

In the 91st minute of a vital game at 1-1, the 18-year-old Silva famously stopped rather than scored when an opponent was down.

That goal.. could have won them promotion and that Eibar side have come to be remembered as the Eibar side that "was in primera for ten minutes."

And it will be extra special for Mikel Oyarzabal to now share a dressing room with David Silva.

As Oyarzabal, born in Eibar, saw Silva perform magic at Ipurua watching on from the stands as a 7-year-old, Silva becoming a big idol for the young Oyarzabal

The coach: Imanol Alguacil

Imanol is a Real Sociedad man through and through. As a player he came up through the youth ranks and played 113 matches for the first team.

As a coach he's been in charge of both the juvenil and B-team, before he got the chance with the first team.

Imanol first got to take over as caretaker at the club in March 2018, but after yet another coach had failed he finally got the job permanently in December 2018.

Last season was the first time he was in charge for the entire season and he did not disappoint.

Imanol had La Real play some incredible football, and several players had a breakthrough season. He found a way to make basically every single player in the team feel like an important piece. Finding a good balance in rotations and variation in tactics.

Key players:

A sign on how impressive this Real Sociedad team has been, is that it's almost impossible to say who the main key players are, because they are so many. But I'll try pick some of them out.

More than Silva that has already been mentioned...

Mikel Oyarzabal

Still only 23 years old but this will be his 6th season with the first team. And he is only getting better and better. A symbol for the entire club and city

Will be fighting off offers from big European clubs for years to come with his intention to stay forever

Alexander Isak

What Isak did during his first LaLiga season at 20, speaks for itself. But that was just the start.This is a kid with something truly special and with more playing time and now fully adapted to Spain it's hard to see anything stopping him. We are all in for a ride

Portu

Perhaps not talked about as much as the rest. But Portu has been fundamental for the success of La Real. He's been behind a lot of what the team have created and only Messi managed more assists than him in LaLiga last season

Mikel Merino

Merino has been soo good that he just the other day earned his debut for the Spanish national team. He's without a doubt the future not just for Real Sociedad's midfield but also Spain's.

And here is a youngster to keep an extra eye on this season

Ander Barrenetxea

He made his LaLiga debut at 16, and scored on Real Madrid before he was old enough to drive. Now 18, this might be the season for his real breakthrough. And you don't want to miss it.

Copa del Rey final:

Real Sociedad reached their first Copa del Rey final since 1988 and for the first time in history it will be a all basque final between Real Sociedad and Athletic Club.

But when will that final be played?

Both Real Sociedad and Athletic agreed that this was a match that could not be played without fans so a decision was made to wait until fans can fill stadiums again.

Right now the talks is that it will be the 4th April 2021, only 13 days before the next Copa del Rey final