Real Sociedad, after multiple concerning runs this season, have managed to right the ship in recent weeks, making their way into the Copa del Rey semi-finals against Real Madrid. They also have one foot in the Round of 16 in the Europa League after an away win over Midtjylland in Denmark. However there are longer term concerns over what direction the side is heading in.
The Txuri-Urdin have enjoyed their most successful era in the 21st century in recent years, making Europe and expectation every season, and winning the Copa del Rey in 2021. Two of the great architects of that success are manager Imanol Alguacil and Sporting Director Roberto Olabe. The latter has already announced his departure at the end of the season, while Alguacil has a contract renewal offer on the table, but is yet to accept it.
La Real are still well in the European race this season, as you can tell if you visit jojobet, with just four points separating them from sixth-place Rayo Vallecano. With La Real in the Copa, and the other three teams in the semi-finals likely to finish in the Champions League places, the seventh spot they are in will likely be good enough for Europe too.
Olabe, who has built the sides that Alguacil has had will be replaced by Head Scout Erik Bretos as sporting director, who by all accounts is both intelligent and talented at spotting talent. Yet there is a degree of exhaustion in the air at times that suggests Alguacil could perhaps decide to walk away. Recently, he asked fans and media, and perhaps his club, to appreciate the fact that they made qualifying for Europe normal, a sign of the growing expectation at the club and perhaps the need for a little more love for Alguacil.
The Basque manager, who has always been reluctant to appear in the spotlight, and does not seem likely to make a move to another club, at least no immediately. Under him, in every full season he has been in charge, La Real have made it into Europe, and have never finished lower than sixth.
That is very much still on the table, but after losing Mikel Merino and Robin Le Normand, and with Martin Zubimendi potentially leaving in the summer, Alguacil and La Real will have to work out whether they are ready to commit to each other for what could be the first real dip in his tenure, and hopefully come out the other side.
