Real Sociedad heads into Sunday’s LaLiga EA Sports fixture against Levante at Anoeta with goalkeeper Álex Remiro anchoring a squad experiencing a notable competitive resurgence. The 31-year-old native of Cascante has reestablished his defensive reliability following a challenging previous campaign, arriving at this tenth league matchday while evaluating a contract renewal offer from the club as he enters the final year of his current agreement. Remiro originally joined the San Sebastián side in the summer of 2019 after concluding his tenure with Athletic, initially signing a four-year deal that was later extended through 2027 following his steady consolidation in the starting lineup. His journey included a loan spell at Levante during the 2016-17 Segunda Division season, where he appeared in four matches. During his opening year in San Sebastián, he competed for the starting role with Miguel Ángel Moyá, featuring in a 1-2 home defeat against his former club on October 30, 2019. Last season presented distinct hurdles, notably when coach Pellegrino Matarazzo selected Unai Marrero for the Copa del Rey final against Atlético de Madrid, a match where the young academy goalkeeper saved two penalties in the decisive shootout, while Remiro also missed out on the final national team squad for the World Cup. However, the current domestic campaign has seen the veteran goalkeeper regain his peak form, serving as a decisive factor across multiple fixtures ahead of this weekend’s reunion with the Valencian club. The encounter is scheduled for 18.30 hours at Anoeta, with referee Alberola Rojas of Ciudad Real officiating and Cuadra Fernández of Madrid managing the video assistant referee room. Historical statistics for top-flight meetings in Donostia show 14 prior encounters, resulting in six victories for the hosts, six draws, and two wins for the visitors. Both benches feature managers who fundamentally altered their respective teams’ trajectories after taking charge in late December. Matarazzo assumed command of a struggling Real Sociedad side under Sergio Francisco that languished near the lower tier of the standings, subsequently lifting the club into mid-table safety, capturing the Copa del Rey trophy, and securing a European berth. The squad currently stands fifth in LaLiga EA Sports and occupies the fourteenth position in the Europa League phase following an emphatic 6-0 victory over Lillestrom. Meanwhile, Luís Castro took over at Levante in late December 2025 to replace Julián Calero when the team sat at the bottom of the table with just ten points. Castro engineered a successful fight against relegation, securing survival on the final matchday of the 2025-26 season by collecting 32 points from 22 matches through nine wins, five draws, and eight defeats. In the ongoing 2026-27 campaign, the granota squad holds the eleventh position with ten points from nine matches, built on two wins, four draws, and three losses, the most recent being a victory over Athletic that halted a five-match winless skid. Individual milestones add further context to Sunday’s matchup. Real Sociedad captain Mikel Oyarzabal enters the contest after scoring his first goals of the current league campaign with a brace against Málaga last weekend, bringing his career total to 102 top-flight goals for the club across 358 appearances and matching Roberto López Ufarte on the historic scoring charts behind Jesús María Satrústegui’s 133 goals. Luka Sucic continues to lead the team’s scoring output this term with five goals split between domestic and European competition. For the visitors, forward Iván Romero is set to make his 100th official appearance for Levante, carrying a record of 20 goals and six assists since arriving in 2023 from Sevilla, placing him behind only Roger Brugué, Dela, and Oriol Rey in total matches played among the current squad members. Real Sociedad approaches the fixture carrying a three-match winning streak in the league alongside four points from their last two European outings, prompting former player Xabi Prieto to describe their recent attacking display as total football. The home side’s injury list remains brief with only Álvaro Odriozola sidelined, while the recovery of Yangel Herrera and Jon Aramburu allowed youth players Lebarbier and Marchal to return to the subsidiary squad, though Herrera enters the match one yellow card away from suspension. Levante makes the trip to San Sebastián in a calm positional state following their midweek victory against Athletic, though the squad faces physical fatigue after playing three matches in barely nine days. Castro will travel without midfielder Bardeli, who is sidelined by a left leg muscle injury that kept him out of the midweek game, as well as central defender Dela due to muscle overload. Having rotated several players during the second half against Athletic, Castro is expected to rely on Brugué, Romero, and Ratkov in the attacking third, with potential tactical adjustments including Nacho Pérez on the right flank and Rey rejoining the midfield alongside Olasagasti and Requena.
