Are Real Sociedad really in a relegation battle?

We’ve reached the second international break of the season, with all of the newly promoted clubs currently outside of the bottom three. Mallorca are currently propping up the division, with Girona and Real Sociedad the other sides in the relegation zone after eight matches.

In the case of La Real, their position marks a continuation of the decline we saw last season, when they finished 11th under Imanol Alguacil. His departure was handled relatively well by the club, who opted to promote from within by naming Sergio Francisco as his successor back in April.

Having overseen nearly 300 matches in charge of the Basque club’s B and C teams, the 46-year-old will feel as though his opportunity was well earned. However, so far there has been little sign of him finding a remedy for the general state of malaise that has set in at the Reale Arena.

A steady decline 

Real Sociedad are precisely the kind of club that neutrals have every reason to root for. Their commitment to developing their own talent is unwavering. In part thanks to the good work of Sergio Francisco, they are currently the only club with a B team in the Segunda Division, with their respected Zubieta academy churning out a steady stream of talent.

It’s a model that is admirable and one that has largely served them well in recent years, but it’s not a foolproof recipe for success. In even the very best youth systems, there are periods when the number of elite-level prospects drops, and it’s impossible to produce a player like Martin Zubimendi every year.

The Donostia-born midfielder’s departure to join Arsenal in the summer was just the latest in a series of sales that have weakened a squad that peaked with a fourth-place finish in LaLiga 2022/23.

Five of the nine players to clock up the most minutes in the Spanish top flight that season for La Real have since left the club. None have been truly replaced.

David Silva and Alexander Sorloth both feature in that list, along with Mikel Merino, Robin Le Normand, and Zubimendi.

Silva’s influence was already waning before what would prove a career-ending injury, but Real Sociedad have not signed anyone since to really capture the imagination of their fanbase.

Their failure to bring Sorloth in on a permanent deal in the summer of 2023 also now looks like a spectacular own goal. After two solid years on loan in the Basque Country, he ultimately joined Villarreal for just €10m, before moving to Atletico Madrid in 2024 after a 23-goal campaign for the Yellow Submarine. The Norwegian remains the most recent Real Sociedad player to reach double figures in LaLiga, with their €20m striker Orri Oskarsson struggling to make his mark following a 2024 move from FC Copenhagen.

Players of the calibre of Merino, Le Normand and Zubimendi were always going to be sorely missed. Centre-back Nayef Aguerd did a solid job on loan last term, which softened the blow of losing Le Normand, but he has since moved on, while the current midfield is a shadow of what it was when La Real reached the knockout stage of the 2023/24 Champions League.

Sergio Francisco already under pressure

‘I understand the fans’ concerns,’ claimed Sergio Francisco after his side slipped to a fifth defeat in eight matches at home to Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

With no honeymoon period to speak of, La Real finally secured their first victory under their new boss on matchday six when they saw off Mallorca 1-0 at the Reale Arena. Back-to-back defeats since then have piled the pressure back on the 46-year-old.