‘Real’s Christmas mood is good’

Carlos Martinez has mused on the good mood Real Sociedad spend the Christmas break in, and asserts they will be ready for 2014’s tough start.

La Real have ended the calendar year with four consecutive wins in La Liga to push up to fifth spot in the table, four points behind city rivals Athletic Bilbao, who they host in the first game of next year.

“We reach the break with a good feeling. Now we rest after some difficult months and when we return for the League, we will go for it,” mused full-back Martinez to reporters this week.

“Of course the last game of the year matters a lot. It sets the mood with which you go into the break.

“We were going into [the Week 17 trip to Granada] with three wins on the bounce, but if we had not won, even with the trajectory still good, we would have left with a bitter taste in our mouth.

“The team is very good, despite the Champions League wearing us down a lot. The team has not lost ground in the League.

“This run of results in the last two months has brought us up to the higher positions in the League and we all face the match against [fourth placed] Athletic at Anoeta [on January 5] with the hope of winning.”

The defender was asked to assess how 2013 has been for La Real.

“This has been a spectacular year for all. We have been playing very good football. The Champions League was short but intense. We are happy and satisfied.

“We have a tough start in the new year, with the derby with Athletic and then Villarreal in the Cup. It will be a tough year, but we must serve what we have already achieved and we will certainly be up there.”

Tags Carlos Martinez
La Liga - Club News