Brais Méndez rediscovers his mojo as Real Sociedad's creative spark
The Spanish midfielder has already surpassed last season's goal tally, finding his best form under new manager Pellegrino Matarazzo after a difficult summer.
After a troubled summer and early-season struggles, Brais Méndez is finally back to his brilliant best for Real Sociedad, providing the creative spark that La Real desperately needed.
Finding form under Matarazzo
The 28-year-old from Mos has been a player transformed since Pellegrino Matarazzo took the reins at Anoeta. His goal against Getafe marked his fourth of the current La Liga campaign, already surpassing the three he managed throughout the entirety of last season’s disappointing run.
Méndez has now equalled his second-best scoring record at this stage of a season, with only his debut campaign at La Real (2022-23) producing more goals when he notched seven in total.
What’s most telling is the timing of his goals - the midfielder has found the net in each of Real Sociedad’s three most recent victories against Athletic Club, Osasuna and Getafe. Talk about being Johnny-on-the-spot when it matters!
Summer of discontent
It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Méndez coming into this season. The transfer window brought its fair share of drama with whispers of a potentially life-changing offer from Saudi Arabia that never quite materialized.
When the season kicked off, new boss Sergio Francisco seemed hesitant about Méndez’s place in the squad, leaving him on the bench for two of the first three matchdays - a proper kick in the teeth for a player who had been untouchable in previous campaigns.
Back to being undroppable
The numbers don’t lie - Méndez has only been relegated to the bench once in the last twelve league matches. He’s gone from potential outcast to absolutely crucial cog in La Real’s machinery.
But it’s not just about the goals. As a natural attacking midfielder, Méndez’s creative responsibilities extend beyond finding the net himself. Recent performances have shown marked improvement in his final ball and overall attacking contribution - precisely what Real Sociedad need to climb away from the wrong end of the table.
If the Spanish international continues this rich vein of form, he might just be the difference between mid-table mediocrity and a push for European places. For La Real fans, seeing their number 23 back to his best is worth its weight in gold - or should I say, worth its weight in txuriurdin blue?