Imanol Alguacil is asked about the faction of Real Sociedad fans who are pessimistic about the possibility of their team overturning the 2-0 lead in the first leg at the Parque de los Príncipes. What do you think of them? “Well, I would tell them that they don’t understand football,” he says, “because not only in the Champions League, but also in Leagues or World Cups, there have always been incredible comebacks, of more than two goals, like the one we need now. I repeat that we have already shown that we are capable of facing this PSG.”
That’s how it is. La Real showed in Paris that they had enough arguments to stand up, at least in the game, to Luis Enrique’s team. Another thing is the goal, and they need three to reach the quarterfinals, or at least two—and for PSG not to score—to force extra time and penalties. The data is not very optimistic in this scoring aspect, because Real has played 17 official matches at the Reale Arena since the season began and only in one, against Athletic, in September, did they achieve a result (3-0) that would have allowed to advance in the Champions League. In two others, against Granada (5-3), and Benfica (3-1), they reached a two-goal difference.
The data at home are mediocre for Imanol’s team, which has not won in front of its home crowd since last November 26 against Sevilla (2-1). The field factor has not worked in their favor, since they have only won six games in Anoeta, and the data from the last few days are against it. In the last seven games between the three competitions that he has played in, he has only scored three goals, and in four of them he was goalless. Furthermore, without victories, with four draws and three defeats.
The scoring aspect has been a problem almost all season. He has three specific center forwards in the squad, André Silva, Sadiq and Carlos Fernández, but between them they have only managed to score seven goals. It had to be Oyarzabal (13), who saved the ballot, but there are five other footballers who have scored more goals than those theoretically in charge of doing so: Brais (7), Kubo (7), Merino (5), Zubimendi (4 ) and Barrenetxea (4).
Despite everything, Imanol is confident of being able to turn the tie around: “We will do what we can so that people end up proud of us,” he points out. “There we already demonstrated, during the first hour, that we have the capacity to face a great team. They have one of the best squads in Europe, but We also want to overcome the eliminatory. We have to play the second leg and, although it is not going to be easy, we are full of enthusiasm.”
For the Real coach, his team must be patient. There is no need to mark right away. “Doing it soon would not be decisive,” he confesses. “I don’t care if we score in the tenth minute or in the seventy minute. Rather, it will be about not conceding, staying alive and gaining strength if that goal comes.”
The coach also made a note about Kylian Mbappé, the PSG star who, upon his team’s arrival at the Hondarribia airport, was close to those waiting at the exit and stopped to sign autographs for the fans, the same as Luis Enrique did. . The head of Real referred to the player’s departure at half-time of the League match in Monaco. “Well, it might be bad for us, because he will arrive fresh for the game. And if he doesn’t play the entire match, other high-quality footballers will enter. Mbappé is very good, but if he doesn’t play, someone else of a high level will play. The problem we have with PSG is that they have a great coach, Luis Enrique, who also knows us perfectly.”
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