Real Sociedad

I know, I know, I know. This list is undoubtedly going to displease the vast majority of those who read it. “Where’s Messi!? Where’s Ronaldo!? Where’s Barça!? Where’s Tito!?” 

Nowhere to be seen as it happens. All the aforementioned subjects did just fine in the Spanish top-flight season which came to a close on Saturday. However, to make this particular column’s end of season awards, something sensational has to have been achieved. Something above and beyond the “good” or “above expectations.” Something to truly knock the sporting socks off. All the winners detailed below more than fit that description.

Best Team: Real Sociedad

Technically speaking and based on cold hard facts, Barcelona are the best team. The league title winners picked up more points than anyone else and scored more goals. However, that is to be expected for a side with so much talent and resources at its disposal. 

Real Sociedad only splashed the cash on a single player over the season, Carlos Vela, yet the Basque club finished in fourth, a truly magnificent achievement. In a heart-warming campaign for those who love plucky underdogs, La Real were one of just two teams to beat Barça in the league.

They also stuck six past Real Madrid in two matches and overcame Atletico Madrid in the Vicente Calderon. On top of that, the San Sebastian side belted nine past Valencia in their head-to-heads, the club’s rivals for La Liga’s final Champions League qualifying spot on the final day of the season. 

Best Player: Thibaut Courtois

Traditionally, the footballer who scored the most goals is seen as the best player of the season. However, there is no good reason why the goalkeeper that conceded the least amount of goals cannot win this accolade either. Atletico’s Belgian keeper let in just 29 strikes in 37 league matches, the best record in La Primera. Courtois also kept 20 clean sheets and broke the club record for minutes without conceding a goal both at home and away.

Radamel Falcao's goals would all too often steal the headlines in Atletico’s games, but an outstanding season-long performance from the on-loan Chelsea man was just as crucial for the third-place finish for the Rojiblancos.

Best Coach: Manuel Pellegrini

Malaga’s Chilean boss had all manner of hurdles to overcome. In a footballing sense, Pellegrini had to balance a Champions League campaign with responsibilities in La Liga. In that regard, the former Real Madrid man performed astonishingly well, with Malaga seconds away from a Champions League semi-final and finishing sixth in La Liga.  

The most challenging aspect of Pellegrini’s job in his final year on Spain’s south coast was dealing with a squad who went unpaid. Top performers from the previous campaign such as Santi Cazorla were sold off, while the communication on the future from Malaga’s absentee owners was not the clearest. The 59-year-old acted all season with nothing less than complete honour, dignity and professionalism under incredibly trying circumstances.  

Best Match: Real Sociedad 4-2 Valencia 

Barça’s truly insane 5-4 victory over Deportivo was a mouse’s hankie from winning this particular title. However, Real Sociedad’s 4-2 win from the end of April pipped the game to the post.  Not only was the encounter one of the highest quality between two desperate sides slugging it out, the clash had sensational goals and drama.

Valencia had taken the lead before Real Sociedad fought back, only to secure the three points that would eventually give the Basques fourth spot and a return to the Champions League after a decade away. 

Best Goal: Roberto Soldado: Valencia 2-2 Levante

The most personal choice of all. Some may quite justifiably prefer Leo Messi’s mazy dribble against Athletic Bilbao or Jordi Amat’s impressive long-distance lob. But Soldado’s stonker is the one that truly makes naughty words come out of your mouth upon watching it.

The technique required to connect with a cross coming in at such pace was exemplary, never mind getting the ball to beat the goalkeeper at 500 miles-per-hour. The reaction of the Valencia forward himself says how blooming good this goal really is. 

Patience has been the key for Philippe Montanier and his Real Sociedad side. Seemingly down and out on a number of occasions last year, Sociedad have become one of the real wonders of this La Liga campaign.

At some point, those outside looking into La Liga will get a little bored of the trendy backhand to the league (which is wholly wrong) that there is nothing to be excited about in the current hub of modern football.

Yet, the promising reality about this season in La Liga is that it's near-impossible to pick one standout manager from the "rest."

Sure, Diego Simeone has seen his managerial reputation spread wildly across Europe after guiding Atletico Madrid to the Europa League and UEFA Super Cup. Only last week, Atletico surrendered second place in the league to Real Madrid for the first time this season. It's March, and whatever way you want to paint it, that's phenomenal.

It's also a great injustice to look past the work of Manuel Pellegrini this season at Malaga. A team who should have been bereft of hope are now into the quarterfinals of the Champions League in their debut season. Even UEFA swinging the hammer and banning Malaga from European competition next season hasn't been enough to dampen the spirits at La Rosaleda.

A little further down the financial table, who would have thought Rayo Vallecano would be in with a shout of Champions League football next season? Paco Jemez's work this season has been nothing short of fantastic.

But Real Sociedad have become one of the next in line in La Liga to prove that Spanish football is much, much more than a two-team league.

At the time of writing, Sociedad sit fifth in La Liga and are well on course to be involved in one of the two UEFA club competitions next season.

So are Sociedad up for it? Well, why not?

Philippe Montanier has guided his team to a number of impressive results. They were the team to dish out Barcelona's first league defeat of the season. They recently clawed back from two goals down to draw 3-3 against Real Betis in a thrilling encounter. They beat Athletic Bilbao in the last Basque derby to be played at San Mames. Just this past weekend, they became the first club to take anything off Atletico at the Vicente Calderon. And as a side note, their players are not too bad either.

The quickly maturing Antoine Griezmann will one day line up for one of Europe's grandest teams. Carlos Vela is proving why Arsenal made such a mistake in discarding him well before he was able to showcase his quality at the Emirates. And isn't Xabi Prieto the kind of captain almost all teams want? Leading by example, calm under pressure; a wonderful and necessary balance to the two outstanding youngsters in the attacking midfield three.

The younger players have been given a home and a great deal of guidance to become the leading lights of Montanier's side. They know how to play, they know how to win and there certainly isn't a disruptive undertone of important names wanting to leave.

But let's not over-romanticise the story: Sociedad are still one of the many Spanish clubs whose resources are dwarfed by that of the big two. Yet who can really say Barcelona and Real Madrid have never been challenged, even if only on a small scale during a weekend game away? Who can really say there are no surprise elements in La Liga beyond what is well documented?

Montanier is helping to support the theory that good football can win the day. Sociedad should be rewarded with the financial windfall that comes with UEFA's top competition, such has been their quality this season. They're not about to see defeat when it could be on the cards.

Only last season, Sociedad were looking nervously over their shoulder and hoping to avoid the drop. This season—Montanier's second with the club—they're the front-runners of a collection of "smaller" teams who are preparing to serve up another surprise from Spanish football.

We've seen inspiring performances in the past from Villarreal, Bilbao, Malaga and Levante. Is Sociedad next? Is the Basque club set to capture hearts in the same way teams from the "others" have done in the past?

Montanier deserves all the credit and more for the transformation. When financial restrictions spell out the impossible, when calls for his sacking suggest the game is up, the Frenchman forces a huge swing in the fortunes and lands Sociedad within arm's reach of Europe's top competition.

The Basque derby took place at San Mames, the home of Athletic Bilbao, late Friday night. With the season on the line, the derby was a must-win for the hosts.

Real Sociedad entered the competition sitting in sixth place on the La Liga table. A win on the road would further contribute to one of the best seasons of the last few years continue for Sociedad.

The hosts found the back of the net early, but it was Real Sociedad who finished off the game with three solid goals. The Basque derby was easily decided, but very few predicted the game to turn out the way it did.

First Half

Things began just the way fans would have expected. Atheltic Bilbao took the majority of the possession and created a vast amount of chances.

For the first 15 minutes, Bilbao had Real Sociedad scrambling. A goal looked very likely, but the last ball was missing for the home side. It was then that Sociedad began to come to life.

The visitors began to press heavily and made things very tough for their host.

After the 20 minute mark, box-to-box play was dominating the game. But surprisingly, neither side had found the back of the net.

Athletic Bilbao showed their strength over their rivals by eventually taking control of the game again. A few shots were put into the box and goalkeeper Claudio Bravo was forced to bail his side out.

Fittingly, it was Athletic Bilbao who opened up the scoring.

Jon Aurtenetxe sent in a long cross from deep on the wing which found Ibai Gomez. The Basque attacker volleyed the shot into the top of the net and gave his side the 1-0 lead. At this point, things looked to be heading downhill for the visitors.

But Real Sociedad would not be outdone as they drew level in the 34th minute.

A cross from Castro found the head of Antoine Griezmann at the near post. The rising star headed the ball across the goal to the back post. The amazing goal for Sociedad put the score at 1-1 which held until the halftime whistle.

Second Half

No changes were made at the start of the second half and both teams picked up where they left off. Bilbao continued to control the tempo of the match, but the visitors still made things very difficult.

There were not many chances as the second half wore on and Marcelo Bielsa decided to bring on young star Iker Muniain.

The substitution should have put the match even more in the favor of the hosts, but it would be Sociedad who took the lead.

A free kick from deep outside the box was whipped in by the visitors as the cross fell harmlessly to the keeper. But Raul bobbled the ball after a tough bounce and Imanol Agirretxe pounced on the spilled chance to slot home.

With Real Sociedad now leading 2-1, the game looked to be yet another disappointing loss for Athletic Bilbao.

With the match on the line, manager Marcelo Bielsa again turned to his bench as Fernando Llorente was brought on. But similar to what happened after the first sub, it would be Sociedad who capitalized.

David Zurutuza sent a beautiful through ball past the Bilbao defense to find Carlos Vela on a strong break. The Sociedad man settled and slotted the ball to the far corner out of reach of the Bilbao keeper.

Real Sociedad then lead their hosts by a score of 3-1. Carlos Vela’s goal immediately settled the match.

As the rest of the match continued, it was clear that Bilbao already knew it was over. Not many chances were created for either side and soon the final whistle blew at San Mames.

La Real have moved above Valencia and into 5th in the league, just 2 points of Malaga who occupy a Champions League spot, 13 games to go.

— Gary Linton (@AlbaEspana) February 22, 2013

The win will temporarily move Real Sociedad level with Valencia for the fifth spot on the La Liga table. But with no points picked up for Athletic Bilbao, they will remain only six points from the relegation zone.

What does this game mean for both clubs? Will Bilbao face relegation? Can Sociedad stay in the European position? Don't forget to leave your thoughts and comments below.

Tre' Atkinson. Follow me on twitter for more discussions on Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad, and La Liga.

Real Sociedad de Futbol S.A.D. is next in the members of La Liga to be named B/R club of the week. Its next match is against Atletico Madrid on Oct. 21, 2012.

The event will be held at the Estadio Municipal de Anoeta at San Sebastian (a.k.a Donostia) in the Spanish Basque Country. Xabi Prieto, who is one of the main players for Real Sociedad, said that the team could defeat Atletico Madrid.

Ruben Pardo, who is also part of Real Sociedad, echoed the same statements. In reality, Real Sociedad is in 13th place in the 2011-2012 La Liga BBVA Tables.

Real Sociedad has three wins and four losses within seven matches with nine points. The club is currently behind FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

History

According to the Real Sociedad webpage, the club was founded on Sept. 7, 1909. Alfonso Saenz Alonso was elected club President.

King Alfonso XIII of Spain gave permission for the club to use the word Real or Royal in Feb. 11, 1910. The first victories were in the Cup Championships of 1910 and 1913.

The Atotxa stadium was built and inaugurated within the club's first decade of existence. During the 1920s, Real Sociedad participated in various tournaments in Europe and South America.

Real Sociedad faced FC Barcelona in the Santander Triple Cup of the 1927-1928 season. The Spanish Republic and Civil War affected the club.

The Spanish Republic ordered Real Sociedad to change its name to Donostia FC. The club resumed its name after the end of the Spanish Civil War.

One of the first matches after the Spanish Civil War was against Valladolid on Jan. 8, 1941.  The result was Real Sociedad 14-2 Valladolid.

Benito Diaz was one of the greatest coaches in the history of Real Sociedad during the 1940s. Under his guidance, the club started winning matches under a new technique called W.M.

During the 1950s, Real Sociedad was in the first division of La Liga only to be relegated a decade later. The 1970s and 1980s saw another return to the La Liga first division.

During the decade of the 1980s, Real Sociedad left Inter Milan scoreless in the UEFA Cup tournament. In the 1990s and 2000s, Real Sociedad continued to participate in UEFA events such as the Champions League.

According to the UEFA webpage, Real Sociedad participated eight times in the UEFA Europa League. The club participated once in the UEFA Cup Winners Cup and three times in the UEFA Champions League.

Real Sociedad had a biggest victory against Dinamo Moscow at San Sebastian in 1998. Its biggest defeat was against Liverpool in 1975 at Liverpool.

I would like to thank the B/R readers for their time spent in reading about Real Sociedad. My best wishes for you until the next time.

Real Madrid will be shorthanded in their La Liga matchup against Real Sociedad, as they will be without Sergio Ramos and Mesut Ozil

Ramos and Ozil were suspended after being sent off against Villarreal on Wednesday, but Real Madrid still boasts a roster that includes dynamic goal-scorers Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

As for Real Sociedad, Carlos Martinez and Markel Bergara are out due to injury. They need all the firepower they can get, as they have dropped six out of their last ten games in La Liga. That includes a four-game losing streak away from home.

Despite recent struggles, Real Madrid sits atop La Liga, while Real Sociedad has faltered this season, finding themselves in 14th place.

Both teams are coming off of sub-par performances on Wednesday, and will be looking to right the ship in this matchup.

Here is all of the information you will need about the matchup:

Where: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain

When: Saturday, March 24th, 3:00 pm

Live Stream: ESPN 3

Key Player: Cristiano Ronaldo

Besides Lionel Messi, is there a more talented player in the world than Cristiano Ronaldo?

Ronaldo leads Real Madrid into a key matchup for the club, as they look to get back on track after a shaky few games.

Ronaldo has 33 goals for Real Madrid during his 28 games in La Liga this season, and will set the tone offensively for the club.

His speed is a game-changer. It allows him to blow past defenders and either make a cross in front of the net or take a blistering shot himself.

Headline Heading Into Matchup

After their game against Villarreal, Real Madrid will boycott and not hold a press conference before Saturday's matchup against Real Sociedad after what they believe was poor officiating.

"Referees hurt us too much sometimes, but we must hold our heads high and move on," Marcelo said, adding: "You saw what happened and how many of us were sent off."

Prediction

3-0 to Real Madrid.

Madrid will put the controversy of the Villarreal game behind them and dominate from wire to wire against Real Sociedad.

Madrid has too much talent and depth, even without Ramos and Ozil, for Sociedad to handle.

Sociedad hasn't won on the road versus Madrid since 2004, and has a four-game losing streak on the road. Those facts, coupled with a less-talented roster, point to a Sociedad defeat.

Barcelona vs. Mallorca

Barcelona had plenty of chances to win against Sevilla last weekend, but had to settle for a point. The draw provided Real Madrid with the opportunity to take a slender one-point lead over the Catalan giants, which they did.

Barcelona's 1-0 win over Granada in midweek was not enough to close the gap, as Real Madrid managed a convincing 3-0 win over Villarreal.

Even though Levante lead the table, one can realistically say that Real Madrid will be the main challengers to Barcelona for the title. In this situation, Barcelona have the opportunity to put pressure on Real Madrid, who play after they do.

Pep Guardiola could not have asked for a much better opponent than Mallorca—a team struggling near the foot of the table. Just two points separate Mallorca from going into the drop zone, and their form in recent weeks does not suggest any signs of recovery this weekend.

Mallorca's hopes may rest on the fact that Barcelona have recently played several two-game weeks. That won't change this week, either, when the Catalan club must contend a Champions League tie on Tuesday with Viktoria Plzen.

A repeat of the 1-1 draw that Mallorca achieved on their last visit to the Camp Nou would be more than sufficient for the visitors.

Real Sociedad vs. Real Madrid

After a few struggles, which raised some early season questions regarding manager José Mourinho, Real Madrid have managed to set the pace in the Spanish League this season.

Los Blancos have been scoring goals for fun in recent weeks, with Cristiano Ronaldo behind much of the goal-scoring prowess of Real Madrid.

Since their 0-0 draw with Racing Santander, Real Madrid have managed a quite astonishing five-game win streak, in which they have scored 21 goals. Even more impressive is the fact that they have conceded only three goals in the process.

Frankly, if form is anything to go by, Real Sociedad have a mountain to climb against Real Madrid this weekend. Since their 1-0 win over Granada, Sociedad have lost all but one match. As a result, they are presently perilously close to the relegation zone, with the team set to entertain teams like Espanyol and Malaga in the coming weeks.

New manager Philippe Montanier's job will be made even more difficult when Real Madrid visit the Estadio Municipal de Anoeta. History also seems to be in Real Madrid's favour, with the Spanish giants having won four of their last five visits.

The only hope for Real Sociedad may rest in the fact that Real Madrid have only dropped points on away trips this season.

Jann - Footybay.Com