Real Sociedad are back in Europe, having secured Europa League qualification with their sixth place La Liga finish. It may have come down to the last minute of the season, but the Basque side surely deserved their European berth given how well they had played over the course of the year. They’d even looked set to challenge for a Champions League spot at one point, but their form was slightly poorer in the second half of the season, when they won just eight times, compared to 11 times in the first half of the campaign. In addition, there was a Copa del Rey run to the quarter-finals, but they ultimately came up short when paired with eventual champions Barcelona.
With Eusebio in charge for a full season, he showed just how a wise appointment he was when he came in to take over from David Moyes midway through the 2015/16 season. With the team playing a 4-3-3 system, they sometimes struggled in defence, but made up for that weakness with excellent midfield and attacking play. In the middle, Asier Illarramendi was immense and was the clear focal point of the team, contributing in both the defensive and the attacking phases. Alongside him, David Zurutuza and Xabi Prieto were similarly effective. In attack, Willian Jose did well at centre-forward, bagging 12 goals, while he was flanked by Juanmi and Carlos Vela, who scored 11 and 9 respectively. Special mention should also go to goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli. The defence was often overrun and whenever it was, he was usually on hand to save the team.
