Oyarzabal: No obsession with breaking Real Sociedad appearance record
La Real's captain opens up about the club's 2026 resurgence, Matarazzo's impact, and his future at the Basque club while downplaying pursuit of Gorriz's legendary mark.
Real Sociedad captain Mikel Oyarzabal isn’t counting down the matches until he potentially breaks Alberto Gorriz’s all-time appearance record, despite already climbing into the club’s historical XI with 416 games under his belt.
Captain reflects on La Real’s 2026 revival
The skipper is chuffed with how his team has turned things around in the new year, acknowledging that while former gaffer Imanol Alguacil (“Sergio”) took the fall, the players needed to have a proper look in the mirror.
“When you change managers mid-season, everyone clicks,” Oyarzabal explained, noting that players both in and out of the starting XI see fresh opportunities. However, he’s adamant that while changing the manager might be “the simplest solution compared to changing 25 players,” the squad must take responsibility for their performances.
Matarazzo making his mark
Oyarzabal seems well impressed with new boss Pellegrino Matarazzo, describing him as:
- “Very intelligent”
- “Detail-oriented”
- Someone who “understands the game similar to how we understand it here”
The captain’s first impression? “How tall he was,” he admits with characteristic honesty. But more importantly, Oyarzabal appreciates the manager’s brave approach to pressing high and being protagonists even without the ball.
No obsession with records
Despite creeping up the appearance charts at La Real, Oyarzabal remains refreshingly grounded about potentially surpassing Alberto Gorriz’s mammoth 599-game record.
“I’m not obsessed with it, I haven’t done the calculations, I don’t think about that at all,” he insists, despite acknowledging everyone keeps mentioning it to him. “I’m very comfortable here and will fight until the last day.”
With two-and-a-half years remaining on his current deal and “zero” discussions about a renewal yet, the number 10 maintains he’s happy at his boyhood club and doesn’t see himself getting bored of representing the txuri-urdin.
Praise for the squad players
The captain reserved special praise for goalkeeper Marrero, who stepped up in the cup after years as backup, along with others like Aihen, Pablo Marín, and Elustondo who’ve shown patience despite limited minutes.
He also expressed confidence in youngster Orri Óskarsson, noting the pressure of his price tag and August arrival hasn’t helped, while suggesting Yangel Herrera’s physicality will be valuable once fully fit.
For now, Oyarzabal’s bread and butter remains leading Real Sociedad as they look to build on recent wins against Osasuna and Barcelona. Not too shabby for a lad who never imagined achieving what he has for his beloved club.