Real Oviedo held to goalless draw by Deportivo in pre-season friendly
Real Oviedo were held to a 0-0 draw by Deportivo in a pre-season friendly at El Tartiere. Julián Calero fielded an 11-man starting lineup and saw his side test variations in play, but failed to convert in the final third. The Asturian side finished last season 20th in LaLiga with 29 points and now aims to build momentum ahead of the new campaign.
What happened in the match?
The match began with Real Oviedo highly proactive, moving the ball with ease and pushing Deportivo back into their own half. In a quick transition, Ximo Navarro nearly opened the scoring, but Calvo diverted Aubameyang’s shot when the Deportivo striker was already pushing the ball into Narváez’s net.
The Galician side dominated play in the first half, but failed to create clear chances. Aubameyang had a golden opportunity after an assist from Nsongo, but Amatucci made a fine save to deny the goal. The second half slowed down, with frequent stoppages and both teams struggling to find the net.
The most dangerous chance for Calero’s side came from a counter-attack. Mingo received the ball and struck with his left foot, but the shot sailed high, just grazing the top corner of Germán’s goal.
Why this friendly matters for Real Oviedo
This friendly gave Julián Calero a chance to test different starting lineups and give minutes to all his players. The Asturian manager looked to fine-tune tactical details and assess the performance of new signings, though the final result-a goalless draw-does not reflect the work put in.
The team, which ended last season with 26 goals scored and 60 conceded (a -34 goal difference), needs to improve its finishing if it wants to avoid the relegation places in the new campaign. The lack of conversion in the box was the main issue in the match.
What’s next for Real Oviedo
After this friendly, Real Oviedo faces the final stretch of pre-season with the goal of securing wins in upcoming matches. Julián Calero will continue fine-tuning details and looking for the best version of the team before the start of LaLiga.
The Asturian club, which finished last season in 20th place with 29 points and a recent five-match winless run (LLLDL), needs to improve its performance to avoid repeating the same situation in the new season. The team has already taken early steps with new signings and existing players adapting to its style of play.
