IT IS finally here, the week that the Cherries enter European competition for the very first time. They travel to Real Sociedad on Thursday to begin their Europa League campaign to face the Spanish side at the Reale Arena.
Coached by American Pellegrino Matarazzo, La Real qualified for the Europa League after winning the Copa del Rey, as they triumphed over Atletico Madrid on penalties in the final.
Here is all you need to know about the Cherries’ first European opponents.
History
Founded in 1909, the club is one of Spain’s most respected and historic clubs.
They are based in the Basque Country, in San Sebastian, and are known as La Real or Txuri-Urdin (“the White and Blues”).
Their Zubieta academy is renowned for producing some world class talents, including Xabi Alonso, Antoine Griezmann, Martin Zubimendi and current club captain and Spanish international Mikel Oyarzabal.
Prior to 1989, the club, like their Basque neighbour Athletic Club, had a strict policy of only using players from the Basque Country, specifically the Guipúzcoa province.
While that has changed, and it started with the signing of John Aldridge from Liverpool in ’89, the academy still plays a central role at the club and they are seen as one of Spain’s best run clubs for their use of the academy and good recruitment.
Their most successful period came in the early 1980s.
After they finished second in La Liga for the first time in the 79/80 season, they went on to win back-to-back La Liga titles in 1980-81 and 1981-82, under legendary coach Alberto Ormaetxea.
They have won the Copa del Rey four times, in 1909, 1987, 2020 and 2026.
Head coach
Matarazzo joined the club in December.
Born in New Jersey to Italian immigrant parents, the now-48-year-old had a decade-long playing career in the lower leagues in Germany, before becoming a coach while playing for Nurnberg II.
He got to know former Germany head coach Julian Nagelsman well while training to become a coach, later joining him at Hoffenheim.
The American joined VfB Stuttgart as head coach in December 2019, before he was sacked in October 2022 having coached 99 games, averaging 1.22 points per game.
The following February he rejoined Hoffenheim, now in the top job, where he stayed for 21 months before his sacking in November 2024, with a 1.28 points per game average from 67 matches.
Matarazzo joined Sociedad in December 2025, leading them to the Copa del Rey title and becoming the first American head coach to win a major trophy in one of Europe’s top five league nations.
He signed a new two-year deal in July.
Tactical approach
Matarazzo favours a proactive style with some intense pressing but structured play with the ball.
They tend to use a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation, with a focus on patient build up through the midfield and using attacking, overlapping full backs.
Similar to Bournemouth, they look to press from the front, with the attacking trio or quartet asked to be aggressive out of possession to win turnovers high up the pitch.
Key players
- Mikel Oyarzabal: The Sociedad skipper. He progressed through the club’s academy and he has spent his entire career in San Sebastian, making close to 450 appearances for the team. He also has 61 caps for Spain and started every game as they won the World Cup this summer.
- Álex Remiro: Another local, Remiro joined Sociedad from neighbours Athletic Club in 2019. He has since made more than 300 appearances for the club in goal.
- Takefusa Kubo: A Japanese international, the right winger is an important creative force for the team, after he joined from Real Madrid. He has made 168 appearances since he joined in 2022.
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