La Real takes a gold point from Alkmaar

Real Sociedad get a point that is worth gold from their visit to AZ Alkmaar. For the development of the game, because this time he was closer to losing than winning; and for the meaning it has for the final classification in the group. The txuri-urdin team now depends on itself in the two remaining days of this group stage. Beating Rijeka in Anoeta and losing AZ Alkmaar against Naples, mathematically it would be second. So this tie achieved in Holland should be highly valued. Why it took sweats to get it done, because Real were uncomfortable throughout the game, and because they were saved in specific actions from having lost and greatly compromised their future in this competition. Stuck, but saved, she returns from Holland. It will not be a coincidence that the day with the least fluidity in the game of the season comes when you lack David Silva. The good guys are always missed.

At the beginning, Real Sociedad was not surprised by an AZ that came out with more attacking intent than in the game played in Anoeta. The donostiarras did miss David Silva, because he is a fundamental player; but with their usual dynamism above, they tried not to notice their absence. Januzaj and Oyarzabal used to go inside to generate associations with Merino, leaving the bands for the rises of the wings. Little by little they took control of the ball, despite the fact that the Dutch team did try to go more on the attack. Isak was looking for the back of the AZ defense, because they did not make a defense as low as in the first round match. With spaces this Real enjoys more and the Swede is happy. But the chances were not clear, and AZ began to create danger. The shock was equalized. Januzaj first warned with a shot from the front that went up with everything in favor, and then the Dutch responded with two actions to which Remiro had to respond masterfully.

The game went to rest without goals. But it was already beginning to be clear that we were facing the worst Real game this season. The high and intense pressure from AZ was hurting Real a lot, and Imanol had to move the bench to try to balance the crash. After a promising start to the second half, with Januzaj doing magic with the ball, Slot's team had two dizzying minutes in which he did not score miraculously. First with a Hatzidiakos's header to which Remiro responded wonderfully well with his feet, and after Kopmeiners left the crossbar shaking with a whip from the edge.

The shock made Real doubt, which was finding it difficult to find sensations with the ball and when he found them, the last pass failed him. Imanol introduced Roberto López instead of Januzaj, and in his prodigious left-handed hand he found the solution to balance the game. First with a foul from the edge that Bizot saved. And then with another lateral foul that Merino finished off. La Real was recovering and now she was scared. But AZ was also scary. He insisted on his pressure, he did not mind not having the ball, giving it to the Real, but when he had the minimum option, he would go like a rocket towards Remiro's goal, as in the action of Boadu, who won the game against Le Normand and served Adboukhal on a tray to score at will, but his forced shot went up incomprehensibly in the mouth of goal. La Real began to realize that the tie was not bad at all. He did not want to lose the valuable booty of the point in the last moments. It tastes like gold because it allows you to depend on yourself, to the point that it can be worth it for this qualifier next week. And if in the weakest game of the season, you score a point against an opponent like AZ who is worth so much, something will want to say.

Sheriff: “We show bravery and daring”

Real Sociedad coach, Imanol Alguacil, valued AZ Alkmaar's 0-0 home draw and said be “very happy” because they continue to depend on themselves to qualify for the round of 32.

“We have shown courage and daring against an opponent who has not lost in his league, who is with the same points as us in Europe and who beat Naples and we also got the golaverage in favor“said Sheriff after the meeting.

He did not want to elaborate on the possible penalty to Mikel Oyarzabal, in the second half, he revealed that the player told him in the dressing room that “it had been very clear”, although he recalled that his team had “the possibility of scoring a goal in the last minutes and not we did”.

“We have tried but the ball has not entered, although I am satisfied with the result”, summarized the Gipuzkoan coach, who downplayed the two clear chances his rival had to have also won the match.

“It has been two jupunctual gadas, but we also had ours and in the end the 90 minutes count, “said Alguacil while acknowledging the problems that AZ raised him when his team suffered a mistake.

Goalkeeper Alex Remiro, for his part, commented that AZ had “Clear occasions, but we too, have generated us and we have to correct it because we have to be dominant, take the lead and it doesn't happen to us again”said the Real goalkeeper, who saw his team improved in the final minutes. “At the beginning of the second half they had a crossbar and another chance but nothing more and then we were better, we took the reins and had some chance to win “, declared a Remiro who is leaving” with good feelings. “-EFE