Real Sociedad faced Rayo Vallecano on March 16, 2025, ending their match with a 2-2 draw, which, whilst not ideal, provided each team with one point on their path for European competition qualification.
Coach Imanol Alguacil, who recently saw his team eliminated by Manchester United from the title race, understood the significance of this clash and decided to make several changes to his starting eleven, introducing six fresh faces, including striker Ori Oscarson, who had been absent from previous games.
Reflecting on the intense atmosphere following the Manchester setback, Alguacil expressed pride over his team’s effort during the match against Rayo, saying, "This team has faced immense pressure during this series of games, especially recently. I appreciate the commitment of the players today. This break will be perfect for us.”
The match didn’t start well for Rayo, who were burdened by the absence of key players, including Ghana-born defender Abdul Mumin, winger Isi Palazon, Angola-born playmaker Randy Nteka, and forward Sergio Camello. Despite these challenges, they managed to push back effectively, coming out strong after halftime.
Real Sociedad took the early lead when Martin Zubimendi skillfully headed the ball from Sergio Gomez’s left corner kick just 20 minutes in, making it 1-0. The Ecuadorian goalkeeper Augusto Batalla was left helpless as the ball ricocheted off the opposition.
Following this initial breach, Sociedad continued to pose threats, with Gomez himself coming close with another shot, narrowly missing the target thanks to Batalla’s quick reflexes.
After regrouping at halftime, Rayo Vallecano returned invigorated and pressured Sociedad with determined attacks. Their efforts paid off when Oscar Trejo capitalized on Andrei Ratiu’s assist, neatly slotting the ball home to equalize the score at 1-1 after 58 minutes.
Yet Rayo was just getting started. Pedro Diaz scored to give Rayo the lead at 2-1 with a beautiful long-range shot, hitting the right post before crossing the line at the 71-minute mark.
Despite Rayo’s resurgence, Real Sociedad was not done. Alguacil made tactical alterations, bringing on 19-year-old Arkaiz Mariascoarena, who leveled the score with his timely goal. He deftly capitalized on the rebound after one of Takumi Minamino's shots was repelled. This goal came at the concluding moments of the match, preserving hope for Sociedad.
Despite the tied score, Alguacil remained upbeat, highlighting the players’ fierce attitude and relentless fight after Rayo scored their second goal. He mentioned, "I was somewhat disappointed with the chances missed, but I admired how we didn’t crumble after Rayo’s second goal. This is the resilience I expect from the team, and if we keep this kind of spirit, I’m confident results will come our way during the remaining ten matches.”
With such resilience, Imanol saw potential for future victories, acknowledging the merit of the current squad's efforts, especially with many injuries affecting lineup stability. He concludes, "If we maintain this pace, we will have opportunities to secure European competition spots; Rayo is strong at home, but exploiting this performance level will bring us closer to victory post-break.”
On another note, Alguacil didn’t want to dig deep on incidents curved toward Artiz Elustondo during the match, stating, “I didn’t see the incident, and I have no comments on it. I don’t want to give unnecessary importance to the situation. Decisions made during football can be quite tough.”
The draw left both teams with hopes for the future; Rayo Vallecano stayed mid-table with 37 points, trailing Real Betis by seven points, whilst Sociedad fell nine points behind the European qualification positions.