Real Sociedad is gearing up to face Elche this Friday, but the team is navigating a challenging situation concerning player availability. Just two days before the league match, the San Sebastián club is grappling with significant absences, particularly in the attacking line, which has raised concerns for coach Imanol Alguacil.
During Wednesday’s training session at Zubieta, it became clear that key attacking players Ander Barrenetxea and Arsen Zakharyan were once again training separately from the squad, following their individual recovery protocols. This situation has made their participation in the upcoming match against Elche seem highly unlikely, posing a serious limitation on Alguacil’s attacking options.
The confirmed list of absentees extends to five crucial players. Alongside Barrenetxea and Zakharyan, the team will also be without Óskarsson, Karrikaburu, Yangel Herrera, and Rupérez, all of whom missed the penultimate training session due to longer-term injuries. This string of injuries represents a significant challenge for the team’s depth.
Adding to the dilemma, Real Sociedad has not opted to call up any players from their reserve team, Sanse, to supplement the first team. The reserve squad has a match scheduled against Huesca, which the club cites as the reason for not recalling young prospects to the senior side.
With the match against Elche set to be a tough encounter, the imposed limitations will test the squad’s resilience and Alguacil’s tactical flexibility. Securing all three points will be vital for Real Sociedad as they aim to sustain their competitive ambitions and remain firmly in the hunt for league leadership. Despite the challenges, there remains hope that the squad’s determination and depth can shine through this tough period.