Real Sociedad tests in Cologne without Oyarzabal and injured players

Real Sociedad heads to Germany to play a double friendly against Cologne from the Bundesliga. The first match takes place this afternoon (18.00) and the second tomorrow (15.30), both at the Franz-Kremer Stadion, the joint reserve stadium with capacity for 5,500 spectators and behind closed doors.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Matarazzo now has almost the full squad available following warm-up friendlies against Racing, Wolves, Aston Villa and Toulouse. Take Kubo will travel and could make his preseason debut after recovering from his World Cup injury. Missing are injured players Odriozola, Gorrotxa, Marín, Karrikaburu and Goti, plus Guedes due to personal surgery unrelated to football, and World Cup winner Oyarzabal, who continues enjoying his break.

These matches against Cologne will serve as a dress rehearsal for the season ahead, with the expectation that many players will get 90 minutes. Next comes another friendly against Chelsea with Xabi Alonso at Stamford Bridge on August 15, before the LaLiga debut against Real Betis on August 21.