#real-sociedad

#real-sociedad

Villarreal has a 17-4-2 record when favored on the moneyline this season, showcasing their strong performance as favorites.

It's true that we lacked scoring opportunities; they defended solidly and well. We lacked attacking play. We didn't create too many chances. It's not the first semi-final I've lost.

At the centre of the storm was referee Jesus Gil Manzano, whose handling of the match visibly frustrated the Barcelona players. Throughout the contest, the referee's decisions appeared to go against Flick's side at key moments, gradually increasing tension on the pitch. A lot of talking points Marginal offside calls, several fouls that went unpunished, and a heavy challenge by Carlos Soler on Pedri all contributed to a sense of injustice from the visiting side.

There was a little magic in the atmosphere, Pellegrino Matarazzo said. Real Sociedad's new coach could feel it; he could hear it too, the sound of drums beating on every street of the city he has embraced and into the stadium that has embraced him back already. When he and his players arrived at Anoeta on Sunday evening, they entered through a guard of honour, a band of soldiers and chefs lined up in the rain, hammering out the club anthem and hoping.

According to Fichajes in the summer, Spurs were plotting a move for Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo that could have cost up to 70m. That never materialised, and the north London club may be thankful it didn't, as the same Spanish outlet are now claiming the Japan international could be available for as little as 40m, just over half his potential summer value.

"I was the first to receive offers from Inter Miami," Silva, 39, told the El Camino de Mario podcast. "I met with [Inter Miami president David] Beckham in Manchester, but I told him I still wanted to compete in Europe. Then I had many other offers: Japan, Qatar ... but then I prioritized my personal life and I felt very ready to compete."