Real Sociedad’s Champions League dream within reach

In most leagues across the World, 14 wins from 17 games would result in your club being firmly in the title picture. Unfortunately for Real Sociedad, they ply their trade in a division that features the best side on the planet. However, Barcelona’s overwhelming success should not diminish from the superb work that Natalia Arroyo is doing in San Sebastian.

A victory 3-0 against Valencia in midweek ensured La Real’s gap over third-placed Atletico Madrid remained at nine points. Now, Atleti fans will be the first to point out that their club are in possession of two games in hand over Real Sociedad, but there is no question that what Arroyo’s side have achieved this season is nothing short of remarkable.

The Sociedad story may not one that has seen a team transform overnight from relegation candidates to champions league hopes. Far from it. However, to make the jump from a side that finished nine points adrift of the Champions League places last season to one that sits comfortably in the top three is certainly a sign of significant progress.

Incredibly, since an 8-1 away defeat against Barcelona on October 31, La Real have embarked on an extraordinary run of results that has seen them win eight of their last nine games, with a 2-2 draw against Sporting Huelva the only time Real Sociedad have dropped points in that period. With the European Champions making the trip to the Basque country on Sunday, there may be an expectation that the unbeaten run may come to an end, and even if that turns out to be the case, it would not dampen the mood in San Sebastian.

It has undoubtedly taken a supreme team effort to get Real Sociedad into the upper echelons of the Primera Iberdrola, but with nine league goals apiece the performances of Nerea Eizagirre and Amaiur Sarriegi are impossible to ignore. Eizagirre and Sarriegi may be 21 and 22 respectively, but they have already featured numerous times for the Spanish national team, and are expected to be included in the squad for the European Championships in the summer, and it is easy to see why. As well as reaping the rewards in front of goal, they have demonstrated their creative talents, with Eizagirre assisting three league goals, while Sarriegi has assisted seven league goals this term.

Despite the efforts of Eizagirre and Sarriegi, perhaps the most important cog in the Real Sociedad machine is the boss. Every orchestra needs a conductor, and Arroyo has played a key role in overseeing a harmonious dressing room. She has instilled great balance to this La Real outfit that have shipped just 16 goals this season – only Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have conceded fewer, while they have found the net with ease this season. Outside of Barcelona’s eye-watering 98 goal tally, Real Sociedad are the next best scorers in the league, with 39 goals to their name.

Although they sit comfortably within the top three, Arroyo will be ensuring her side do not get complacent with 13 games left to play in the league season. However, if a place in the Champions League does await, this feels like the beginning of La Real’s story, rather than the final chapters, and with Arroyo at the helm, there is no glass ceiling to what Real Sociedad can achieve both domestically and in Europe.