Real Oviedo’s return to La Liga has been short-lived, as the club has been relegated to Segunda for the upcoming season. A challenging start to the season, which saw two managerial changes in the first five months, left Oviedo with an uphill battle to avoid the drop.
The confirmation of Oviedo’s relegation came after a 1-1 draw between Rayo Vallecano and Girona, with Cristhian Stuani scoring a late equalizer. This result mathematically eliminated Oviedo from staying in the top flight. Currently with 29 points and three games left to play, Oviedo is 10 points adrift of Girona. They sit seven points behind 19th-placed Levante and eight points behind 18th-placed Alaves, making them the first team to be relegated from the league.
Oviedo’s remaining fixtures include an away match against Real Madrid, a final home game at the Nuevo Carlos Tartiere against Alaves, and the season finale against RCD Mallorca at Son Moix.
Oviedo’s Struggles Before Guillermo Almada’s Arrival
Since Guillermo Almada took charge in December, Real Oviedo has shown more competitiveness, though they have still struggled to secure vital wins. Almada has been responsible for 19 of the team’s 29 points in his 19 games, a rate that, while potentially insufficient, offered some hope heading into the final fixtures. Prior to Almada’s appointment, Oviedo had accumulated just 10 points from 16 matches under their first two managers, Veljko Paunovic and Lluis Carrion. Paunovic, who had guided the team back to La Liga after a 24-year absence, was controversially sacked, leading to a difficult period under Carrion, during which the team experienced its worst run of form.
Santi Cazorla: ‘We Have Many Lessons to Learn’
Despite the initial joy of returning to La Liga, legendary midfielder Santi Cazorla acknowledged the difficulty of the past season. Speaking at an event where he hinted at potentially playing his final games, Cazorla emphasized the importance of learning from the experience.
“We have many lessons to learn from this season,” Cazorla stated. “Regarding club decisions, management, and the importance of everyone pulling together and maintaining our love for this club. Itโs fundamental that this club remains united, at every level. This year, at times, we lost that unity, and we canโt let it happen again.”
