Matarazzo on Oyarzabal, Guedes, Barrenetxea, Zakharyan, Marrero, and Alavés

Real Sociedad

Call-up for the match against Alavés.

33

Zakharyan
350.000€    -

J1

MD

00

104

Ander Barrenetxea
5.540.000€+20.000€    4

J1

MD

33

We can bring 22 players, one less than allowed in LaLiga. Regarding Zakharyan and Barrenetxea, they are recovering from their injuries. Zakharyan has a calf problem and is in the recovery phase, we hope he will be back in the call-up by the end of the week or early next week. 'Barrene' had a bruise in the match against Celta, and he continues to work on his recovery; he was lacking a bit of mobility in his quadriceps and that's why it took a bit longer than we expected, but he is on a good path to recovery, we hope he will be ready for the next match but he won't play tomorrow. As for Karrikaburu, it was a decision for the balance of the call-up. We want to react in all situations and for that we have to see which players can come in if a certain profile is needed, there is nothing more regarding Karrikaburu.

What do you expect from the Copa match against Alavés with so much at stake?

Mentally, the team is very good, there is still freshness, good energy, the guys are focused, and physically the players are in a pretty good moment for tomorrow's match, which is important.

Intensity day by day, it's non-stop.

I feel good, very good. Football is very intense and we have to be intense, demanding, and if you don't have this mindset, you are less competitive and won't enjoy it as much. The more competitive we are, the more games we win and the more we enjoy football. It is also important to have a good balance, we work very hard on the field with the communication between staff and players to know what we want, but there are also moments when we have to relax, like in the afternoon in my case when I go, for example, for a long walk on the beach, eat a couple of 'pintxos,' and have a glass of wine to give me enough energy for the next day.

Management of Guedes and Oyarzabal's minutes.

124

Guedes
11.850.000€+140.000€    -

J1

DL

26

124

Oyarzabal
14.010.000€    3

J1

DL

38

This is why they came out in the 75th minute in the derby, because it was clear that they have to play 90 minutes in the next match, which is very important for us. It is important to regulate the workload and intensity at the match level, we try to manage it as best as possible. Oskarsson is not ready for 90 minutes, so we have to manage Mikel's minutes.

What Alavés do you expect?

I expect their best eleven. They have had two extra days to rest, and therefore do not have to rotate players. We expect a team like the one that has played the last two matches where they beat Betis and Espanyol. We are ready to adapt and have solutions.

Having less rest than Alavés, does it imply that we might see changes compared to the match against Athletic?

Of course, it is possible. We need to see how many players can last the whole match because we only have limited substitutes, but we have to establish a balance between the starting eleven and those who can handle the 90 minutes. Of course, we will put the best players on the field.

There will be a massive fan turnout. Do you understand the excitement surrounding the Copa?

We are very aware of the importance of the Copa. We are looking forward to tomorrow's match, and we go with enthusiasm. We are performing well in the league, we have positioned ourselves to attack and seek more, but the Copa remains a special competition, so we are very excited and eager for the match. We have to give it our all, and tomorrow will be our first final.

For Marrero, it won't be easy knowing he could have a new opportunity.

0

Unai Marrero
160.000€    -

J1

PT

00

'Unai, don't look in the mirror too much, because you don't look good' (laughs). Unai feels good and is smiling again, which is important. We will do everything we can for him to have another chance to play with us in the next round of the Copa.

The sports director spoke about the connection from the start between the club and you. Do you feel the same?

Yes, I share the same feeling, but for me, it's normal. I am open to people, I connect well with the people I am with, and I like to connect well. I think it is important to connect wherever you are so you can convey messages, but also be demanding if the players feel a connection because you can ask more of them knowing that you want the best for them. This is how I like to work, and the idea is to continue working like this.