Real Sociedad and Deportivo de A Coruña go meet again for Primera División after eight years. The last time dem see each other for top flight na February 2, 2018, when Real Sociedad hammer Deportivo 5-0 for Anoeta. Eusebio Sacristán be coach that day.
Na Willian José, Asier Illarramendi twice, Sergio Canales and Aritz Elustondo score the goals. From that Real Sociedad starting team, only three men still dey around: Igor Zubeldia, Mikel Oyarzabal and Álvaro Odriozola. Zubeldia and Oyarzabal fit start today, but Odriozola still dey injured.
For Deportivo side, no single player from that visit remain. That 2017-18 season end with Deportivo relegated to Segunda División. Real Sociedad too no get easy year: dem sack Eusebio Sacristán small time after that match, and Lorenzo Juarros, wey dem call Loren, finish him ten years as sporting director.
That shake-up open door for Imanol Alguacil. He take full control one year later after Asier Garitano lose him job. From there, six years with Imanol and Roberto Olabe follow. Real Sociedad win Copa del Rey and qualify for Europe five times in a row, including one Champions League spot.
Last year, the two clubs see each other again, but na for Segunda and against Real Sociedad B, Sanse. Job Ochieng score for that match, and he now dey first team.
The Deportivo de A Coruña wey dey come Anoeta this Sunday no be the same club wey collect 5-0 eight years ago. Sport and institution don change. Two years after dem drop to Segunda, only Eneko Bóveda and Celso Borges remain. Borges come back to A Coruña after two years for Turquía.
For bench, Cristóbal Parralo get sack after the painful 5-0, and coach carousel start. Coaches no be the only ones wey dey waka. Tino Fernández dey lead club eight years ago. After him, presidency pass through Paco Zas, Fernando Vidal, Antonio Couceiro and Álvaro García Diéguez, until Juan Carlos Escotet take over for October 2024.
Ownership change deep well well. Last time dem play Real Sociedad, nobody hold more than 7% of capital. Today, Abanca control 99%. New life.
At 16:15, Real Sociedad and Deportivo rekindle Primera División meeting for matchday 8 of LaLiga EA Sports for Anoeta. Looking back, both sides don face 36 times for top flight for Deportivo home, with 17 home wins, 9 draws and 10 away wins.
For table, dem dey level: Real Sociedad sit ninth with 10 points, same as Galician side, wey dey seventh. Win go allow Real Sociedad pass rival for table, while away win go push Antonio Hidalgo men clear.
For sport side, Pellegrino Matarazzo get right-back puzzle. Jon Aramburu injure him sóleo and Álvaro Odriozola out. Good news be say Héctor Fort return to train with group on Friday after discomfort, and other internationals come back without wahala. But match fit come too soon for Catalan after days working apart.
Pablo Marín don available as one more. Him, Luken Beitia and Igor Zubeldia dey among options to cover that flank. Óskarsson out because of red card for previous matchday against Valencia, and Álex Marchal out after fever all week.
Deportivo de A Coruña travel go San Sebastián with mixed feelings. The Galician side make good return to Primera: 10 points and only one defeat this season, against Sevilla for Riazor 0-1. Dem still never lose away since February.
But absence wahala dey. Antonio Hidalgo no go get key men like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Marc Casadó and Denis Zakaria. Those misses force coach to rebuild him scheme, especially for attack where young Nsongo Bil go carry weight. Midfield, attack and defence get doubts, with defence condition by international wear. The blanquiazul plan remain unknown inside squad wey include canteranos Kevin, Ochoa and Noé Carrillo.
