Real Sociedad seeks to reverse the debacle in England under new boss

In the second round of the Premier League International Cup, Real Sociedad will look to recover after the 5‑1 defeat to Aston Villa, despite having taken the lead. The team will meet this Tuesday at 20:00 Guipuzcoan time at Leicester City, England, after Mikel Merino’s talk with Labaka and Imanol in Zubieta.

Technical leadership change

Real Sociedad arrives in England with a new head coach. This time it will be Mikel Labaka, coach of the División de Honor Juvenil, who will manage the side, replacing Jon Ansotegi. Labaka will take charge in the match against Leicester City, while Merino and Imanol continue their work in Zubieta.

The squad travelling consists of 18 players, among which seven from Sanse, eight from the ‘C’ and three from the División de Honor Juvenil. The list includes Lander Olasagasti, Garro, Larrañaga, Alberro, De Orue, Oleaga, Xuban Fernández, Eceizabarrena, Soroeta, Telletxea, Mehmeti, Pérez, Pereira, Lozano, Calderón, Elkano, Letamendia and Osazuwa. Eceizabarrena will probably remain as a key figure.

Lander Uranga will not be able to take part after receiving a red card in the first match, which entails a suspension. Moreover, the coaching staff has introduced several changes, bringing in Sanse players who need minutes on the pitch. Journalist Unai Valverde has pointed out that Uranga’s absence complicates the lineup.

Opponent and group position

Leicester City has not yet played its first match in the competition, but has been on a negative run since 14 August, without wins in the Premier League Cup against Plymouth. In Premier League 2 they occupy the ante‑penultimate position among 31 teams and are also second‑last in their group of eight in the National League Cup. In the Group C table, Real Sociedad sits at the bottom, while Brondby and Dortmund lead with three points.

If Real does not secure a victory against Leicester City, its chances of reaching the knockout stage will be considerably reduced. The pressure falls on the young side to reverse the negative trend that began against Aston Villa. A win would be necessary to climb out of the last place.

The contrast between Real Sociedad’s current situation and Leicester’s lack of results underlines the importance of this encounter. The 20:00 Guipuzcoan time match will be decisive to keep alive the hope of the txuri urdin expedition in the Premier League International Cup.