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Real Sociedad have appointed American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo as the club’s new manager.
Matarazzo, 48, whose 24-year senior career has been spent in Germany, has been out of management since leaving Bundesliga side Hoffenheim last year.
Real Sociedad confirmed on Saturday the club had reached an agreement with Matarazzo on a contract through to the end of the 2026-27 season, and he will officially be unveiled on Monday.
Real Sociedad’s B team boss Ion Ansotegi has been acting as interim coach since December 14, following the dismissal of Sergio Francisco.
Ansotegi oversaw Tuesday’s Copa del Rey victory over lower league side Eldense and Saturday’s La Liga draw with Levante, following on from the side’s run of three successive league defeats — with the 2-1 home loss to Girona preceding the exit of Francisco.
Real Sociedad are 16th in La Liga, just two points above the relegation zone.
Raised in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, Matarazzo spent four years at the Columbia Lions varsity team before moving to Germany in 2000.
He had a 10-year playing career before moving into coaching, initially at Nuremberg’s academy before joining Hoffenheim under former head coach Julian Nagelsmann, now the Germany national team coach.
Matarazzo spent three years as Stuttgart’s head coach between 2019 and 2022 before his appointment at Hoffenheim, where he was sacked in November 2024.
