Who is Ander Barrenetxea? Real Sociedad winger starring in the Champions League
Martin Macdonald
- 8 Nov 2023 18:59 GMT
- 4 min read
Real Sociedad have become one of Europe's most exciting teams and this prolific talent factory have produced yet another gem in Ander Barrenetxea.
Still only 21, the homegrown talent has been a regular fixture in the team of Imanol Alguacil for some time now and, though never particularly prolific, he is really turning on the style this season.
So, what kind of player is he?
What position does Ander Barrenetxea play?
Barrenetxea usually plays as a left winger, though he can also play on the right.
⏱24’ | 3-0 | Ahí la ha puesto Barrene 📐#UCL | #WeareReal pic.twitter.com/6RozoKldmK
— Real Sociedad Fútbol (@RealSociedad) November 8, 2023
How good is Ander Barrenetxea?
Like so many at Erreala, Barrenetxea came through the young ranks at Real Sociedad and is a Basque boy through and through. He became the first player born in the 21st century to play in La Liga when he made his debut in a loss against Alaves in December of 2018.
He was also the first player to skip the B team from the youth ranks to play for the first team since none other than Antoine Griezmann achieved the same feat. Yet despite all of the promising signs, Barrenetxea never really exploded onto the scene like a player of his talent would be expected to.
He has made north of 120 appearances for the club and only managed 15 goals and seven assists. However, he has a knack for producing stunning moments and these moments are becoming more frequent this season. At the point of writing, he has five goals in 15 games this term.
Real Sociedad are once again impressing this season and Barrnetxea - who usually just goes by Barrene - put in a stunning performance against Benfica in the Champions League, scoring a brilliant goal and setting up a penalty (that was missed by Brais Mendez) with an outrageous touch as the Basques demolished their Iberian neighbours.
The 21-year-old mainly features on the left wing but is right-footed which allows him to cut inside and impact play in more central areas. When playing on the opposite wing, he is deployed more as a conventional winner.
Both positions utilise his best attributes which are his pace and his dribbling ability. He is capable of carrying the ball forward at speed, taking the game to the opposition.
What clubs are interested in Ander Barrenetxea?
Perhaps due to his lack of goalscoring prowess, the youngster has largely been overlooked by elite clubs, though that may very well change if he keeps up his current form.
When does Ander Barrenetxea's contract expire?
In February of 2021, Barrenetxea signed a massive six-year deal to remain at his boyhood club Real Sociedad until June 30, 2027.
How old is Ander Barrenetxea?
Barrenetxea was born on 27 December 2001. He is 21.
What is Ander Barrenetxea’s Instagram?
Barrenetxea's Instagram has 51k followers as of November 2023.
