Ignacio Villamía joins Real Sociedad as Matarazzo’s new analyst | OneFootball

Ignacio Villamía, 33, has joined Pellegrino Matarazzo’s staff at Real Sociedad as an analyst and is already working during pre-season in Birmingham. He is the club’s only new face so far this season.

According to Diario Vasco, this is his first role in a men’s set-up after spells with Barcelona’s women and Switzerland’s women. He began coaching in Alicante with Elche’s División de Honor side before moving into analysis with Barcelona firm Huld.

Fluent in French, he collaborated with Ligue 1 clubs including PSG, Olympique de Lyon and Olympique de Marsella, maintaining strong links with several coaches at Luis Enrique’s team. His most recent post was as first team analyst with Barcelona’s women.

His connection with Real Sociedad dates back to training the club’s analysts through that performance application, and Erik Bretos has now brought him into Matarazzo’s group for a campaign expected to be demanding given the number of matches. Last season only Héctor Gómez handled analysis, with Xabier Ruiz de Ocenda as individual development assistant, known at Zubieta as PMI, and the two Vitorians will now be joined by Villamía.

Analysts prepare early week dossiers on the next opponent while also looking ahead, so as Matarazzo turns to Betis, the first game, others will be tracking Real Madrid, the second big test. On the pitches, whiteboards share space with drones and most sessions are filmed from above, including in Birmingham. Travel roles for away matches are still to be decided, and while further signings are awaited, Nacho Villamía is the new face of a club that keeps growing.

Source: Diario Vasco