Barrenetxea caps standout Real Sociedad season as injury ruins World Cup bid | OneFootball

Ander Barrenetxea delivered his best campaign for Real Sociedad, featuring in 34 matches across league and cup for 1,997 minutes. His form finally gave the txuri-urdin support the sustained spark they had long expected.

According to AS, the 24-year-old became a standard-bearer during a rocky start under Sergio Francisco. In that first stretch he played 16 games and scored three times.

Pellegrino Matarazzo’s December arrival kept standards high, the American used him in 18 matches and he added one goal. The decisive strike came in the Copa del Rey final at La Cartuja, where Real Sociedad drew 2-2 with Atlético de Madrid then won on penalties. He made it 0-1 after 14 seconds, an official Guinness World Records mark for the fastest goal in a final of this competition.

In the run-in Matarazzo mixed demands with praise, notably after La Real came from 0-2 down against Real Betis at Anoeta, a turnaround fuelled in part by Barrenetxea’s display. The coach felt he thrives with freedom between the lines, yet still has scope to improve finishing and efficiency.

Only injuries checked his momentum. He ended with five goals and five assists.

Called up by Luis de la Fuente, he made his Spain debut on 31 March. He was named in the 55-man provisional list for the World Cup, but a muscle injury in May cost him a final place. Matarazzo later said the winger was injured and likely to miss the tournament, adding that with 2030 in Spain he should have chances.

Without that international cherry, next season promises plenty if he sustains this level.

Source: AS