So… this is weird.
Having gained promotion to La Liga in 2009/10, Real Sociedad were denied a point against the mighty Real Madrid in their first home game back in the top flight against Los Blancos by a Cristiano Ronaldo winner.
The club must have then performed some sort of supernatural ritual.
Because since then the four-time Ballon d’Or winner has not played an away game against Sociedad.
This is noteworthy because the Portuguese forward has been a near ever-present for Madrid while Sociedad have remained in La Liga the entire time.
He’s only ever played one away game against Sociedad despite arriving in Spain in 2009.
Fate has conspired time and time again to keep Ronaldo away from the Anoeta Stadium and this year is no different.
Zinedine Zidane’s side travel to play Sociedad, who find themselves second in the league behind Barcelona having won all three of their games so far, this weekend and will be without Ronaldo as he sees out his ban for pushing a referee.
Previously, CR7 has missed away games to Sociedad with a sore back, a muscle fibre issue and a torn collateral ligament.
He was also rested several times as trips to the Anoeta fell either side of key/draining Champions Leagues fixtures.
Whatever Sociedad did back in 2011 it certainly worked as they have been spared the full Ronaldo treatment for years now — at home at least.
Ronaldo has frequently scored against them at the Bernabeu however — bagging a hat-trick in 2013/14 and braces in the three seasons before that.
Still, the Anoeta curse is set to run until at least next season providing the Copa del Rey draw does not conspire against them.
Patience, Ronny… you’ll get them eventually.
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