Real Oviedo captain Dani Calvo has given a revealing interview to Deportes COPE Asturias this week, discussing the club's current situation and last season's issues. The central defender, entering his sixth season with the team, confirmed his availability for the next match after overcoming minor discomfort.
Calvo explained that his contract renewal until June 2027 was sealed quickly, based on mutual trust with the board. "Agustín Lleida told me about renewing in December and it was closed in a minute in February; I didn't even need an agent to negotiate," the player said. The deal includes an automatic one-year extension until 2028 should the team achieve promotion to LaLiga.
Dani Calvo reflected on the cohesion problems within the squad during the last campaign in the top flight. The captain admitted that groups formed and the atmosphere was not optimal. He accepted his share of responsibility as captain for situations that did not help the team.
"We should have set some rules; if you don't set rules and you break them, in the end it's chaos," stated Calvo. The player noted that the language barrier and certain internal misalignments contributed to the lack of unity, an aspect the team aims to fix for the current Segunda División season.
Regarding his dealings with former manager Guillermo Almada, the defender was frank. "He was a distant person, it was difficult to talk to him," Calvo confessed. Despite this personal assessment, he chose not to comment on a specific meeting in Madrid between captains and the coach, during the controversy over Santi Cazorla's playing time.
The defender did credit Almada's work on the team's physical conditioning. Real Oviedo currently holds a mid-table position in the standings after the opening fixtures, with Julián Calero leading a project seeking greater stability.
Asked about Hassan's departure after the World Cup, the captain joked about the speed of the operation. "When I saw the match against Argentina I said we had to sell him as soon as possible, before the soufflé fell," he admitted. The sale brought the club around 7 million euros plus add-ons.
Calvo expressed his preference for Dubasin's profile, praising his tactical and defensive commitment. "I like him more as a footballer." he argued. The squad, in his view, is very balanced and the group is confident results will improve. Fans can follow all players' progress on the squad page.
On a more personal note, Dani Calvo highlighted the attitude of Romanian forward Isfan as an example to follow. "He is an example of integration. He had never left Romania and you should see how he speaks Spanish," said Calvo. The player takes weekly lessons to master the language and asks his teammates not to speak to him in English so he can practice.
"He has an absolute willingness to get involved in the culture of Oviedo and Spain." the captain added. Isfan is one of the signings brought in to add goals to a team that needs to improve its offensive numbers, data available on the club's stats page.
Calvo also revealed he closed his Twitter account to avoid criticism, stating that anyone who says it doesn't affect them "is either mentally tough or lying." The defender, with 193 appearances already for the blue shirt, faces the match against Albacete aiming for three points to move Real Oviedo closer to the promotion spots.
