Former Bundesliga coach Pellegrino Matarazzo and assistant coach Ömer Toprak stabilized Spanish club Real Sociedad San Sebastian surprisingly quickly. The big coup awaits: the traditional club has a good chance of reaching the final of the Copa del Rey. After the first leg win (1-0), San Sebastian welcomes their Basque opponents from Bilbao in the semi-final second leg on Wednesday evening (9 p.m.).
From the perspective of the German fan, the news at the end of December 2025 came as a bit of a surprise: Pellegrino Matarazzo was introduced as the new coach of Real Sociedad San Sebastian after the 17th matchday. Matarazzo, who also had good times after stints at VfB Stuttgart and TSG Hoffenheim, but after his expulsion from Kraichgau in November 2024, seemed to be hardly in demand, at least in Germany.
Pellegrino Matarazzo on the TSG Hoffenheim bench
A good three months later, the surprise has subsided – or, depending on how you look at it, has even gotten bigger. “La Real” has developed splendidly under Matarazzo and the American is celebrated for his successes. Under predecessor Sergio Francisco, the ambitious team had slipped further and further down the table, with only two points separating San Sebastian from the relegation places when the Spaniard was fired.
Top average points – good prospects in the Copa too
Then came Matarazzo, and with him the turning point: in twelve games since taking office, the son of Italian immigrants has an outstanding points average of 2.25, won eight games and lost only once – at world club Real Madrid (1:4).
There were three victories in the cup under Matarazzo’s direction, including the first leg win against Basque rivals Bilbao. And so the blue-whites are doing great: in eighth place in the league they are back in touch with the European places, and in the Copa del Rey they could pull off a really big coup this season. It would be the first title for the Basques since 2020, when the club also won the Copa.
San Sebastian’s great quality in the squad
When looking at the squad, it is obvious that the team would be capable of more than it showed over much of the first half of the season. First and foremost is Mikel Oyarzabal, captain and number 10, who is also a striker in the national team. But players like Goncalo Guedes (Portugal) and Takefuso Kubo (Japan) have already made a name for themselves in international football.
Mikel Oyarzabal celebrates in the Spanish national jersey
Together with assistant coach Ömer Toprak, a former Bundesliga player and now active in his first coaching position in the Spanish upper house, Matarazzo has formed a unit on the pitch. When San Sebastian beat champions Barcelona in January, the Spanish “AS” headlined: “Pellegrino Matarazzo, the American who stopped Barca“. And added: “The Matarazzo Effect: The signing represented an immediate turning point for Real Sociedad, which needed to rediscover its sporting identity.”
Mathematician Matarazzo relies on solidarity
The qualified mathematician is particularly praised for his tactical skills, and Matarazzo has also rekindled his belief in his own strength. “Everyone puts on a little more because it’s a new beginning for everyone” said Oyarzabal after the 2-1 win against Barcelona, in which he scored to give them a 1-0 lead. “Everything he tells us about football is positive.”
Pellegrino Matarazzo with wingman Takefusa Kubo
Matarazzo himself remains cautious – in keeping with his analytical, sober demeanor. “The mentality and cohesion as a group is there, but the style we want to play needs to evolve“, he explained a few weeks ago: “The path is right, but we are not yet where we need to be.”
Cup final in Seville – with Matarazzo and San Sebastian?
This path could lead Matarazzo to the cup final on April 25, 2026 in Seville. The club bosses’ courageous decision to bring in a coach who was no longer really wanted in Germany and to provide him with an ex-Bundesliga player like Ömer Toprak who was completely inexperienced in coaching would have paid off completely.
