Real Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil insists they deserved their 2-1 win at Real Mallorca

La Real needed an injury-time winner from Mikel Merino after the hosts lose Antonio Raillo before halftime to a red card. Siebe van der Heyden also saw red for Mallorca in injury-time.

"Not strange, because in football there are expulsions every now and then, but it was a different game, although in the first half, eleven against eleven, if anyone deserved to take the lead it was us, at times," insisted Imanol.

"Then, of course score to stay with one less, there they have dedicated themselves to defending a little more, trying to get something out of long deliveries and set pieces and, although it is true that the second goal came almost at the end, we had opportunities to have done it before.

"It was a great game for the entire team because, after their goal, we did not give up, but we continued to insist and believe in the plan and the reward came in the end. It was very important to win because, no matter how much you compete and create chances, what you like is to win games."

On ending their winless run, he added: "I had been repeating that it was not for lack of opportunities, you are a little calmer there and so is the team, but there is no doubt that we wanted to win the games and that is what was not happening.

"And, when you see that you generate and do not do goals, anxiety may set in, but luckily the end of the bad streak has been here."