Oyarzabal returns to training at Zubieta

Mikel Oyarzabal has begun his pre-season today at Zubieta following three weeks of well-deserved rest after winning the World Cup with Spain. The Real Sociedad skipper is working against the clock: he has only 11 days to be ready for the team's LaLiga debut, scheduled for August 21 at La Cartuja against Real Betis.

According to MARCA, Oyarzabal will undergo individualized training sessions in the coming days before joining full group work. He has missed the first six summer friendlies and Saturday's match against Chelsea at Stanford Bridge comes too soon, though he could feature on the bench. Manager Pellegrino Matarazzo will need to assess whether he is fit enough to play minutes in the opener or prefers to give him more time.

Real face a demanding schedule ahead: on the 26th they travel to the Santiago Bernabéu to face Real Madrid, and on the 29th they begin their home campaign against Espanyol. The txuriurdin fans are waiting for the club to officially announce the tribute they will pay him for his world champion status.