Matarazzo fumes over Brais red: 'We deserved the win until the 80th minute'
Real Sociedad gaffer Pellegrino Matarazzo left frustrated after Athletic Bilbao's late equaliser, claiming Brais Méndez's controversial red card changed the derby.
Real Sociedad were left to rue what might have been at San Mamés as Athletic Bilbao snatched a late equaliser following a controversial red card that left their manager absolutely fuming.
‘We deserved victory’
Pellegrino Matarazzo didn’t mince his words after watching his side drop two points in the Basque derby. The American coach was adamant La Real had done enough to secure all three points before the sending off changed the complexion of the match.
“Until the 80th minute, I believe we deserved victory,” Matarazzo insisted, pointing to his side’s first-half dominance and Oyarzabal’s golden opportunity after the break.
The visitors had controlled proceedings for large stretches – no mean feat at the Cathedral – and looked set for a famous victory before it all went pear-shaped in the final stages.
Red card controversy
The turning point came when Brais Méndez was shown a straight red, leaving La Real to defend their lead with ten men. Athletic capitalised on their numerical advantage to find an equaliser shortly after.
Matarazzo couldn’t hide his frustration with the decision: “It’s incredible that a player gets sent off for that,” he explained, claiming Brais was merely reacting to contact from an Athletic player.
This marks the third red card Real Sociedad have received since Matarazzo took charge – a disciplinary issue he acknowledged needs addressing despite feeling hard done by this time.
Wesley debut
There was a silver lining with new signing Wesley making his debut off the bench, though Matarazzo was measured in his assessment of the Brazilian:
- Praised his “dynamism and speed”
- Described him as humble and connecting well with teammates
- Admitted he’s not yet match-fit for La Liga’s intensity
- Noted he tired quickly despite limited minutes
“He has great talent,” Matarazzo added, but cautioned that Wesley needs time to adapt to the physical demands of Spanish football.
For Real Sociedad, it’s a case of what might have been. As the gaffer himself put it: “We can be satisfied with this result, but I always want to win.” After controlling much of the match, leaving with just a point feels like daylight robbery.