Real Sociedad, a season to remember culminated in qualification for the Champions League
The txuri-urdin outfit secured their spot in next season's Champions League preliminary round for the second time in their history. The Donostia-based team, currently sitting 3rd in Liga F Moeve with 60 points after suffering only three defeats, achieved this with three matchdays remaining.
05 MAY 2026
“I cannot imagine the day we qualify for the Champions League because I want to experience it, and I still prefer to be cautious. Even though we have a good lead, we have a difficult schedule,” Arturo Ruiz stated in an interview with Liga F a couple of weeks ago. The Madrid-born coach, who has created a unit where the collective takes precedence over individual brilliance, is the great architect of the magnificent season Real Sociedad has enjoyed. The manager arrived last summer to lead a new project with the youth academy as its foundation, alongside the arrival of six players to replace the departure of key footballers. Among those signings was Edna Imade. The Spain international scored 11 goals in 12 matches until Bayern de Múnich decided to recall her from loan in the winter. Those figures helped her win the Player of the Month award in October.
Furthermore, one of her goals was key to achieving a historic 1-0 victory against FC Barcelona, the only defeat the *culés* have suffered this season across all competitions. Despite the loss of Edna Imade in the winter transfer window, the San Sebastián side decided not to make any signings and to continue trusting the current players in the squad, who have shared the goalscoring duties for the *txuri-urdin* team. These players, with three matchdays remaining, have managed to qualify for the next edition of the Champions League for the second time in the history of the club's women's section. An objective that the players and coaching staff set for themselves during one of the international breaks. “The team set the goal of reaching the Champions League during the February-March break,” confessed the Madrid-born coach, who has the team in 3rd place with 60 points.
Ten points clear of the fourth-placed team, and still with the possibility of snatching second place from Real Madrid CF, who are three points ahead, although the head-to-head record is against them. A year to remember that had its final flourish in the 1-2 victory against Deportivo Abanca at the Riazor stadium, where European qualification was confirmed. The trust placed in Zubieta has paid off, and the best reflection of this is in goal, with Alazne Estensoro and Julia Arrula, both academy products, serving as the team's two goalkeepers. Specifically, the goalkeeper from Tafalla, who has kept 10 clean sheets, has conceded 19 goals in 21 matches (0.9 goals per match) and is currently the best-positioned goalkeeper to win the award for the fewest goals conceded in Liga F Moeve, where the San Sebastián side has only lost three league matches.
Nerea Eizagirre entered Real Sociedad history
Real Sociedad not only made history by qualifying for the Champions League for the second time, but Nerea Eizagirre also became the player with the second-most appearances in the history of the *txuri-urdin* side. The Tolosa native has accumulated 283 matches with the Basque first team, surpassing Sandra Ramajo (282). On the horizon, and as the footballer with the most appearances, is Aintzana Encinas (344). This season, the captain of the San Sebastián side has played 883 minutes in Liga F Moeve across 20 matches, in which she has scored 8 goals, making her the team's second-highest goalscorer behind only Edna Imade, and she has provided 2 assists, contributing to a goal every 88 league minutes, proving decisive to the team's attacking play. The midfielder's stats are completed by two Copa de la Reina ties.