Real Sociedad pre-season friendly held behind closed doors against Pau FC at Zubieta
Real Sociedad pre-season friendly saw a closed-door meeting with Pau FC as the club continued preparations, with the first public test scheduled for July 18, 2026.
Real Sociedad staged a closed-door pre-season friendly against Pau FC at the club’s Zubieta training complex following six consecutive days of preparation, the club confirmed indirectly through on-site activity. The match, described publicly by the French visitors before footage was later removed, was held without spectator access and provided coach Pellegrino Matarazzo an early read on fitness and squad depth.
Closed-door meeting at Zubieta
The session between Real Sociedad and Pau FC was conducted away from public view, with the home club declining to provide routine details about the proceedings. Club footage and images that circulated showed match officials in place and players competing under game conditions.
Pau FC initially labeled the encounter a competitive match and even posted a starting lineup before that posting was withdrawn, suggesting coordination between the two clubs over the level of disclosure. Visual material released from the session showed Real Sociedad players largely in training attire while the visitors appeared in full match shirts, creating the impression of a controlled friendly rather than an open scrimmage.
Team news and unavailable first-team players
Pellegrino Matarazzo began the summer programme without several established squad members available for selection due to injury or international commitments. Álvaro Odriozola, Aihen Muñoz (listed as Balda in earlier reports), Jon Pacheco, Andoni Gorrotxategi and Carlos Fernández were absent as they recover from physical issues sustained during the close of last season.
In addition to the injured group, the coach remains without players returning from representative duty: Mateo Sucic, Gonçalo Guedes, Takefusa Kubo and Mikel Oyarzabal are not yet back in training with the group. Oyarzabal in particular remains involved in competitive fixtures and will join the squad when his club obligations conclude.
Reserve integration and starting XI choices
With a number of senior players unavailable, Matarazzo drew on the club’s B team to supplement his initial lineups, integrating around a dozen reserve players into the session. The mix of first-team regulars and academy prospects allowed the coaching staff to assess combinations and give younger players exposure to the first-team tempo.
The starting formation featured goalkeeping continuity with Álex Remiro and a defensive spine including the likes of Ander Barrenetxea and Igor Zubeldia, who wore the captain’s armband. Other players used in the opening XI included Cristian Rupérez, Unai Beitia, Sergio Gómez, Ibai Aguirre, Soler, Mikel Rodríguez, Sammy Ochieng, Barrenetxea and Juan Pérez Carrera, with substitutions and a different alignment introduced for the second half.
Intensity of the session and coaching objectives
Footage and eyewitness accounts indicate the match carried a higher than usual level of intensity for an early pre-season meeting, reflecting Pau FC’s advanced preparation and the coaching staff’s desire to stress competitive edges. Several contested moments and tight exchanges were visible, signaling that Matarazzo wanted a genuine tempo test rather than a low-stakes runout.
Coaching staff monitored individual conditioning while experimenting with positioning and pressing triggers across different phases of play. The exercise served as both a physical benchmark after a demanding opening week and a tactical probe to evaluate how personnel might operate within Matarazzo’s preferred patterns.
Rest, reintegration and the schedule ahead
Following the closed-door fixture, the squad observed a rest day on Sunday, July 12, 2026, before resuming structured training on Monday, July 13, 2026. The coaching team has set a tight timeline of sessions ahead of the club’s next public engagement, using training days to manage workload and reintegrate players as injuries and international duties permit.
The club has so far made no major additions to its squad compared with the previous campaign, leaving Matarazzo to work with largely the same core while evaluating younger options. That continuity makes these early tests important for establishing roles and understanding which fringe players can step up during the coming season.
Next public test: Racing de Santander at Zubieta on July 18
Real Sociedad’s next scheduled friendly will be open to supporters and take place at Zubieta on Saturday, July 18, 2026, with a 6:00 p.m. local kickoff against Racing de Santander. The club has confirmed that fans will be allowed to attend that session, giving the public the first in-person opportunity to see Matarazzo’s squad in action this summer.
That fixture will provide a broader picture of squad fitness and selection as additional first-team players return from international duty or complete rehabilitation. It will also offer a chance for supporters to evaluate new tactical nuances and see which reserve players have impressed enough in closed sessions to merit continued involvement.
Real Sociedad’s closed-door meeting with Pau FC offered a practical start to preseason work, showing how Matarazzo is balancing competitive intensity, injury management and youth integration ahead of the club’s public return on July 18, 2026.
