Odriozola finding his stride again at Real Sociedad under Matarazzo
The San Sebastian native is finally getting regular minutes after nearly leaving last summer, with his love of horses reflecting his renewed energy on the pitch.
After a difficult period where he nearly exited the club last summer, Álvaro Odriozola is finally galloping forward again with Real Sociedad, rediscovering his form under new manager Pellegrino Matarazzo.
From outcast to regular
The numbers tell a remarkable turnaround story. Odriozola has already surpassed both his appearance count and minutes from the entire previous campaign. The right-back has featured in six of Matarazzo’s first ten matches in charge, after managing just three appearances in the season’s opening 20 fixtures under previous management.
Last summer painted a bleak picture for the San Sebastian native:
- His squad number was taken away
- He was training with the transfer-listed players
- Physical problems had limited him to just 421 minutes across eight matches since his 2023 homecoming
Despite the club actively trying to move him on, no transfer materialized. Under Sergio, opportunities remained scarce – just two Copa appearances and a single LaLiga runout when Aramburu got injured during warm-up.
Matarazzo’s arrival has changed everything. The new gaffer has trusted Odriozola in six of his ten matches at the helm, bringing his season totals to nine appearances and 434 minutes – already surpassing last term’s figures.
Horse power and football dreams
In a rather fitting parallel, Odriozola recently visited San Sebastian’s Hippodrome to celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Horse – an animal the defender feels a special connection with.
“I see a lot of similarities between us,” Odriozola explained. “Race horses are elite athletes like us, meticulously cared for, with everything measured – from feed to training – to deliver peak performance.”
The number 20 now harbors two significant ambitions: winning a trophy with his boyhood club and, interestingly, claiming the Copa de Oro at San Sebastian’s Hippodrome with one of the several horses he owns.
For now though, football remains his absolute priority: “It’s my passion, my everything – I give my body and soul to football.”
With his career back on track, this thoroughbred defender appears ready to hit full stride once more in La Real’s colors.