Before defending its leadership in the First Division on Sunday at the Wanda Metropolitano, Real Sociedad is gambling its future in Europe in the Austrian town of Graz. So he must put aside that exciting moment to which he is obviously not used to playing what can be considered his first European ‘final’ of the season. Because all the options to stay alive in the group stage of the Europa League go through a victory at the Graz-Lievenau stadium against Sturm Graz (follow the game live on As.com).
And it is that after two draws in the first two days, to come out alive from his battle against PSV and Monaco, the theoretically main rivals to fight to go to the next round, now a decisive moment arrives to stay alive, the double consecutive meeting against Sturm Graz. And in Graz it is time to score his first three points in a game. Because that can allow him, nothing more and nothing less, to go from being third in the group to depending on himself for the second round of the group stage. Because Monaco and PSV face each other, and at the same time the Austrian team can practically be ruled out of any prize in this first phase.
For this, the Royal Society will have to adapt to playing without Mikel Oyarzabal, whose absence was already noticed in the league against Mallorca, but was replaced by the illusion of a kid wanting to conquer the world like Lobete, who has once again traveled to Austria with the first team. With him are the subsidiary Turrientes and Valera, two regulars. Although the key in Graz will be the presence in the eleven of David Silva, whose return to the team is eagerly awaited in the realistic environment. Zubimendi and Gorosabel may be the other two great novelties. Because Aihen is immovable in the left-back, not being able to play in the league at the weekend.
AND Portu, Januzaj, Merino and Alexander Isak must once again lead the realistic attack in search of a fundamental victory. Stay alive to win in Graz. It is not to put pressure, but even if all is not lost if the desired result is not achieved, it cannot be hidden that everything would become too complicated for Los de Imanol Alguacil.
The LaLiga leader wants to show his great moment against a regular team in Europe, but that is less than the San Sebastian. Although there is show it. Although it has casualties, the Royal cannot speculate in Austria. Europe is at stake.
Bailiff predicts difficulties against Sturm Graz ‘very brave’
Imanol Alguacil, does not expect facilities from the bottom of his group in the Europa League, an Austrian team from Sturm Graz that plays “very brave”. “I’m sure tomorrow is not going to be easy at all, they have a good team, a good midfield, they are very vertical at the top, they create a great atmosphere in their field and they are also in a good moment so we are sure to have we have to do many things well if we want to win there, “predicted the realistic coach from the Austrian city where the team is already concentrated.
The great opportunity that the two commitments to the modest Central European team represent for the Donostiarras make Alguacil suspicious, who warned that tomorrow’s will not be a “definitive match.” “It is the third day and whatever happens this Thursday my team will continue to live, it will fight until the end and, as I always say, the next game is the most important and the only one to think about,” he said. resounding Sheriff.
The blue and white coach recalled the great moment in which his team arrives after “several games without losing and in the League with zero goal, but this is a different competition in which we have two draws, we want to continue being competitive and achieve the victory of one time
for all”.
The U21 international Martin Zubimendi, who accompanied his coach at the press conference prior to this match, agreed with Imanol Alguacil that Sturm Graz is going to be “complicated because in Europe there are no easy games, but we are going to go all out and try to win the match”.
Zubimendi appreciates the great form that a Real is going through, which, as the midfielder txuri urdin himself confirmed, is in “a great dynamic in the League, but this is a different competition and now it’s about getting a victory in Europe.”