Real Sociedad's closed-door rehearsal against Pau leaves signs

Why this matters

Real Sociedad's behind-closed-doors try against Pau FC is an important indicator of the team's pre-season progress. Jon Pacheco's recovery is particularly encouraging as the defender is a key player in the defense of the Basque club, who compete in La Liga. The way the coaching staff is managing players' minutes also suggests a careful approach to ensuring everyone is ready for the start of the new season.

Main conclusions

Real Sociedad's closed-door rehearsal against Pau leaves signs.
Real Sociedad ended the first week of work with a training game behind closed doors against Pau FC.
The rehearsal at the closed door of Real Sociedad against Pau delivers positive news.

Real Sociedad ended the first week of pre-season with a first competitive try against Pau FC, a French Ligue 2 team, in a training game held at Zubieta's facilities. The session, prepared by the technical committee led by Pellegrino Matarazzo, took place behind closed doors and with an eminently training framework, which is why the club did not disclose any details about the evolution of the score, focusing on minute management and the physical response of the squad in this initial phase of the work.

On a day of rotation and controlled loads, the Basque club only made images and content available on its official channels, enough to leave some encouraging notes. The main one concerns Jon Pacheco: Elizondo's defender was seen playing the ball normally during the warm-up, reinforcing the idea that post-operative recovery is continuing at a good pace. On the contrary, the players who maintain individualized rehabilitation plans — Jon Gorrotxategi, Carlos Fernández and Jon Balda, in addition to Álvaro Odriozola — did not participate in the match to avoid unnecessary risks.

To start the test, Matarazzo bet on a team that combined references from the first team with the club's young values. Initially, Remiro, Rupérez, Zubeldia, Beitia, Sergio Gómez, Carlos Soler, Aguirre, Ochieng, Mikel Rodríguez, Barrenetxea and Carrera lined up, a solution that made it possible to evaluate automatisms and give a competitive pace to the more experienced, without neglecting the integration of the youngest.

The session also included the presence on the field of Sanse coaches (the B team) and the supervision of the football director, Erik Bretos, highlighting the transversal articulation of the realistic structure in this phase of preparation. On the French side, Pau FC even published its starting eleven on social media — Mubleu, Bamba, Sané, Paquiez, Pouilly, Kaluju, Pajos, Gasnier, Fall, Versini and Lefebre — before withdrawing the information shortly afterwards.

After the break, Real Sociedad carried out an almost complete reform of the squad, distributing minutes to the rest of the squad. Among those used in the second half were Marrero, Jon Martín, Aihen Muñoz, Beñat Turrientes, Lebarbier, Marín, Dani Díaz, Goti, Marchal, Zakharyan and Jon Karrikaburu, in a clear bet on giving wide rotation and collecting data on different combinations on the field.

Without opening the game in terms of goals or results, the San Sebastián team thus fulfills one of the classic pre-season objectives: competing in a controlled context, protecting tactical information and calibrating physical condition. With this dress rehearsal without an audience, Real closes a demanding week that included six work sessions plus the friendly against Pau, an important step towards the new season.

What happens next

With the pre-season underway, Real Sociedad must continue to hold training games to evaluate the players' performance and integrate new talents. Jon Pacheco's development will be closely monitored, especially as the team prepares for the challenges of La Liga. Furthermore, managing recovering players such as Jon Gorrotxategi and Carlos Fernández will be crucial to avoid complications and ensure a healthy squad for the season.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in Real Sociedad's try against Pau FC?

Real Sociedad scored a competitive try behind closed doors against French Ligue 2 team Pau FC, focusing on minute management and the squad's physical response.

Who confirmed Jon Pacheco's recovery?

Information about Jon Pacheco's recovery was released by the club, which highlighted that the player was playing the ball normally during the warm-up.

Why was the session held behind closed doors?

The session was held behind closed doors to prioritize minute management and the cast's physical response, without disclosing details about the score.

What changes were made to the team during the rehearsal?

Coach Pellegrino Matarazzo used a combination of first team players and young talents, allowing him to evaluate automatisms and give competitive rhythm to the more experienced players.

Which players did not participate in the rehearsal?

Players Jon Gorrotxategi, Carlos Fernández, Jon Balda and Álvaro Odriozola did not participate in the rehearsal due to individualized rehabilitation plans.