Real sociedad’s bitter sweet season: champions again, but at what cost?
The final whistle has blown on Real Sociedad’s 2025-26 campaign, a season etched in both triumph and profound disappointment. Tenth place in LaLiga – a stark reminder of the club’s struggles – was overshadowed by the undeniable joy of reclaiming the crown, achieved with a deafening roar from the terraces. That’s the story they’ll cling to, the exorcism of a 2021 title won in a ghost stadium.
A cascade of setbacks
The journey to that victory was paved with a brutal series of misfortunes. Imanol’s abrupt departure, following five consecutive European berths, was a seismic blow. Then, the gutting sale of Martín Zubimendi – a cornerstone of midfield – and the frustrating delays in securing the arrival of Guedes and Soler, the club’s high-profile acquisitions, immediately signaled a difficult start for Sergio Francisco’s tenure. Signing Yangel Herrera, already injured, compounded the issues, while a litany of muscle problems sidelined Orri Óskarsson. The ongoing conflict with Sadiq and the relegation of a promising youth player like Álvaro Odriozola to the fringes only added fuel to the fire.
A slow burn
The team’s initial form was agonizingly slow. They didn’t register their first LaLiga win until the sixth matchday, leveling with the bottom-placed team. A second victory arrived only in the tenth, plunging them into a relegation battle. Sergio Francisco inherited a team teetering on the brink, requiring a remarkable surge of three wins and a draw in four games to stabilize the ship – a brief but potent revival that offered a glimmer of hope.
Near glory, then crushing defeat
Oyarzabal’s injury then derailed those nascent gains. Three consecutive defeats followed, triggering Francisco’s dismissal and the appointment of Jon Ansotegi as interim manager ahead of the crucial Christmas period. Pellegrino Matarazzo offered a swift response, delivering four LaLiga victories and two Copa del Rey upsets, pushing them into European contention and carrying them all the way to the semi-finals of the Copa against Athletic Bilbao at Anoeta – a game that felt within touching distance of a final with fans in attendance.
A victory for the ages
But the dream ultimately fractured in Seville. Real Sociedad’s triumph over Atlético de Madrid in the Copa final, witnessed by a jubilant crowd, secured their place in Europe, a testament to their resilience and the fans’ unwavering support. Despite the painful eight-game league drought and the missed opportunity to climb into the Champions League qualifying places, 2026 will be remembered as the year the Txuriurdin finally returned to glory, a moment savored after years of frustration. The image of the trophy being lifted amidst a sea of blue and white will undoubtedly overshadow the blemishes on an otherwise turbulent season.