Reactions, analysis, controversies and comments on Real Madrid – Real Sociedad | LaLiga Santander

That’s where it all started. At the Santiago Bernabeu. Doubly so, too. Imanol’s definitive history in the Real Sociedad first team began with a victory at home to Real Madrid. It was when he replaced Asier Garitano on the realistic bench. That was the beginning of a story that we would never imagine would reach the point where it is today. And it can also be said that at the Santiago Bernabéu we began to believe that winning the Copa del Rey 34 years later was possible. That unforgettable 3-4, historic, with Isak in total ‘killer’ plan. That was where I opened my eyes and saw a Real that could be a champion for the first time in my life.

exaggerated criticism. All this comes up due to the rain of criticism that Imanol and his work received after the setbacks suffered against Athletic and Leipzig. I am not going to assess whether what was said is fair or not. Everyone has their opinion, and it is fair to respect it as long as it is said with respect. More would be missing. But I do believe that we should value more what he does, what he is and what he has done in a club like Real. Without this, it does not mean that you cannot criticize when they do not do things well. Because criticizing the Real is not being less than the Real. You are all from the Real, whatever you say, I am nobody to hand out realism cards. The figure of Imanol has been called into question a week ago for the decisions he made in the Basque derby and against Leipzig. It is as if some have gotten bored of Imanol forgetting, yes forgetting, that he is the coach who made us win a cup 34 years later. You may say, “you can’t live on income”, right, I’ll buy it for you. But it is that, after the victory in Mallorca, he is one point away from the Champions League, one point away. That is not living on rents.

Wrong and right decisions. Imanol may have made a mistake in some decision of that tie against Leipzig; but at the same time in many other decisions Imanol has been right, otherwise it is not understood that we have qualified for Europe two years in a row, and that we are going for the third. Imanol will have some fault, come on, I say. Condemning Imanol to leave Real without valuing what he is doing globally is not understanding the idiosyncrasies of Real well. At least I think that Imanol has earned to leave when and how he wants, and more so if he continues to get results.

You win from Illarra. There were those who wanted him to retire in December, that he was no longer worth it, they said; and I don’t judge him, in the end his history with injuries in recent years is there. But then you see him play against Osasuna and you understand why you had to wait for him, a thousand times if necessary. Illarra is a luxury for Real, and hopefully we can fully recover it, because if that’s the case, Real will be much more capable of fighting, even for the Champions League.

Conclution. Let us value what we have, which is a lot; and let’s not contribute to destroying a project that, although it has to be nuanced and improved, because you always have to be ambitious, I am sure that it will still give us a lot of joy. Starting with the Santiago Bernabéu, where Imanol can say that “everything started with you”.