It must not be easy to be a Real Sociedad player this Thursday. It is impossible not to feel a lot of pride for the image offered in Cordoba and for falling with all the honors in the semifinal of the Super Cup against Barcelona. But the way he was eliminated was also very hard, with a point of cruelty that no one deserves. The faces of the players reflected that suffering on the return trip, which Diario AS could experience from within. The return trip from Cordoba has been very hard. Dark circles in many soccer players, a symptom of not being able to almost sleep after the game at the Nuevo Arcangel stadium. At least, they received the affection of the few people who were able to accompany the team on the official trip of the Real. Upon entering the plane, all the players were applauded emotionally.
On the return trip, in the relaxed talks that took place between managers and a sponsor, the same conclusion was reached: this is how you learn from experiences, so the way to be eliminated in this Super Cup should help this project to continue growing. Imanol said it after the match in Cordoba, and it's something that everyone thinks. If you have to stay at the gates of a final, let it be like the Real did in the Nuevo Arcangel. In that spirit, what was a tails in the Super Cup will be heads the next time. But explain that to the Real players now, with the recent elimination. At the airport, each player was walking with his head down, barely a word was crossed and a very large trace of sadness is reflected on his face. It seemed they had a hard time walking, and they just smiled shyly behind their more rolls when someone sent them a message of encouragement.
And then the first breath came to start getting up. Upon entering the plane, the companions of the bubble formed by the players began to applaud spontaneously to thank all the effort, dignity and soul that they put into their performance in the semifinal against Barca, playing for about 90 minutes very good, an even better extension and penalties that they will never forget in their life, although it is going to be difficult for them to forget Ter Stegen, the Barça goalkeeper. One by one all the players entered who received the applause with a face of circumstances. Most of them were serious and excited, and some like Portu or Merino thanked them with shy gestures, such as clapping their hands or raising the thumb. Mikel Oyarzabal was the player who received the most applause and who received the most words of encouragement during the trip.
With teary eyes, touched but not sunken, and with his usual calm, Oyarzabal approached the counselor Aitor Díaz de Mendibil and gave him a heartfelt hug, while the rest continued applauding. And it is that Díaz de Mendibil has his birthday on January 14, and he is one of the executives who travels the most with the team, so he went to congratulate himself very sincerely. It was a very heartfelt anecdote, because captain Asier Illarramendi also came to congratulate him. He was one of the managers who traveled with the Real, like Ángel Oyarzun, Nerea Aranburu and Joseba Ibarburu. In addition, there were also other club members, the former player David Zurutuza, the president of the Gipuzkoan federation Manu Díaz, the former manager of the club, Iñaki Otegi, and a couple of sponsors. It was they who applauded the players.
From there, a lot of silence on the plane. More than on the outward journey last Tuesday. Januzaj hardly dared to be out of place when the plane took off and make a little joke with some colleagues. He was the only one, along with Isak, who was seen organizing a game with an electronic device with the rest of the teammates, although later the younger members of the locker room cheered up a bit. Then Oyarzabal, with whom his companions were especially affectionate; Illarramendi, Aritz Elustondo and Monreal were trying to kill time playing cards. And then there was the physical concern of the players, after the effort they made in the semifinal, playing extra time and 120 minutes. If the squad was already somewhat physically touched, now with that wear is a factor that can weigh, and you have to take care. Although they will have a whole week to prepare for the next match, curiously against Cordoba at the Arcangel next Wednesday. Football whims. For that reason, the physiotherapist Imanol Soroa went one by one through all the corridors asking each player how they were doing, surely organizing the physiotherapy sessions for the arrival in Zubieta. The realistic squad arrived in Zubieta at around 2.30 pm, although they will not exercise again until Saturday. Imanol has given his staff a day and a half to recharge their batteries. Then he will get to work to prepare for his premiere in this edition of the Copa del Rey against Córdoba, on Wednesday of next week.