Matarazzo: "It's very important to win matches like this, when you can't attack much you have to defend"

Matarazzo praised his side's defensive resilience after a 2-0 win over Rayo, emphasizing the importance of grinding out results when attacking options are limited.

Real Sociedad manager Pellegrino Matarazzo was pleased with his team's hard-fought 2-0 victory, highlighting the value of suffering and defending as a unit when the attacking play isn't flowing. Orri scored after a world-class pass from Barrenetxea, with Óskarsson also on the scoresheet.

Matarazzo acknowledged the team lacked energy in the second half despite making seven changes, attributing it partly to fatigue after eight matches in recent weeks. He praised the defensive display, particularly noting that when creativity isn't there, solid defending becomes essential. Óskarsson impressed with his work rate and positioning, while Zubeldia and Aihen Muñoz provided important contributions off the bench.

The manager confirmed Barrenetxea suffered an injury during the match and will need assessment. Oyarzabal was unavailable due to anginas and back problems, leaving his availability for Spain's international fixtures uncertain. Matarazzo expressed satisfaction with the team's growth and points tally, though he stressed the need to maintain high standards across all competitions.