Real Oviedo

History

Founded in 1926 after a merger of Stadium Ovetense and Real Club Deportivo Oviedo. The first one was founded by young people who had studied in England, where the "foot-ball" was already popular. And the second club was founded a few years later by a split in the first. Carlos Tartiere served as the inaugural president when the club was established. Oviedo first reached La Liga seven years later.

Their attacking quartet of Emilín, Galé, Herrerita and Isidro Lángara (all represented Spain in this period), as well as Casuco and Ricardo Gallart modernised the game with their pace and running off the ball tied with sharp passing and one-touch football, played in a style 30/40 years before its time, being dubbed Delanteras Eléctricas ("The electric forwards"); all this was connected with a rigid training and fitness regime started by a former manager of the club, Englishman Fred Pentland. Lángara won the Pichichi Trophy three years in a row prior to the Spanish Civil War, as Oviedo broke all scoring records (174 goals in 62 league games). With the outbreak of the conflict, however, the team broke up: Lángara emigrated to South America, Herrerita and Emilín signed with FC Barcelona, Galé with Racing de Santander and Gallart with Racing de Ferrol.

When football in the country resumed in 1939, Oviedo could not play 1939–40 season, as their pitch was deemed unplayable – Francisco Franco's troops had used the stadium as an ammunition dump. During the following decades, the club bounced back between the first and second levels. The 1957–58 Segunda División campaign saw them promoted to La Liga. The club high point was a best-ever third position in 1962–63 (ranking joint-first with Real Madrid after the first 15 rounds). However, the club had been experiencing financial difficulties and, under Enrique Orizaola, had to sell key players Sánchez Lage, Paquito García and José María. It finished the next season facing Relegation play-offs. Real Oviedo were Play-off winners but were subsequently relegated in 1964–65.

The first phase of El Requexón training centre was opened in 1969 by the efforts of then-club president Enrique Rubio Sanudo. Later in the 1980s, the second phase of the construction was completed by the efforts of then-president José Manuel Bango.

The lowest point was the side's first relegation to Segunda División B, in 1978 (for a single season).

Season to season

39 seasons in La Liga

43 seasons in Segunda División

9 seasons in Segunda División B

4 seasons in Tercera División

Current squad

As of 2 September 2026

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Reserve team

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Honours

Segunda División

Winners (5): 1932–33, 1951–52, 1957–58, 1971–72, 1974–75

Copa de la Liga Segunda División

Winners (1): 1984–85

Segunda División B

Winners (1): 2014–15

Tercera División

Winners (4): 2003–04, 2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09

Galician Championship (Campeonato Regional Mancomunado Galáico-Astur)

Winners (2): 1934–35, 1935–36

Individual

La Liga: Isidro Lángara (3) (1933–34, 1934–35, 1935–36), Marianín (1972–73)

Segunda División: Isidro Lángara (1932–33), Lalo (1957–58), Galán (1971–72), Carlos (1987–88), Borja Bastón (2021–22)

Segunda División B: Miguel Linares (2014–15)

Tercera División: Diego Cervero (3) (2004–05, 2007–08, 2008–09)

Segunda División: Óscar Álvarez (2) (1931–32, 1932–33), Lombardía (1971–72)

Tercera División: Rafael Ponzo (2003–04), Oinatz Aulestia (2008–09)

Notable former players

Note: this list includes players that have appeared in at least 100 league games and/or have reached international status.

Personnel

Rivalries

The Asturian derby has been closely contested throughout its history and the two teams have met 117 times in all competitions. Real Oviedo have won 49 times, while Sporting de Gijón have done so in 38 games; 30 draws have been produced.

Sporting won the first match ever played, a 2–1 win for the Regional Championships on 6 December 1926. The first top flight derby took place during the 1944–45 season, and honours were split over the two games: Oviedo won its home fixture 2–1, but lost by a record 0–6 at El Molinón.

The inaugural second level season, 1929, also brought two local derbies – Oviedo thrashed Sporting 6–2 at home, while Sporting won 3–2 in the return fixture. On 15 March 1998, the last contest in the top level took place, and Oviedo emerged victorious 2–1 at the Tartiere, eventually managing to stay afloat (only through the play-offs though) whilst the Rojiblancos suffered direct relegation as 20th and last.

Supporters

After the first relegation in its history to Tercera División, the historical record of the category was established in the 2003–04 season, with 10,759 season ticket holders, up to that time, the record was for Málaga CF in 1995 with 4,200. Oviedo fans have also established some other Spanish records, such as the record attendance for a Tercera División regular game (16,573 people vs Oviedo ACF) or the record attendance for a Segunda B promotion game (27,214 people vs Mallorca B).

Real Oviedo achieved its season ticket holders record in the 2023–24 season with 21,517 people. Their fans are gathered in more than 90 "peñas" (officially, club-affiliated supporters' groups), which are organized by APARO (Asociación de Peñas Azules del Real Oviedo). Oviedo's most notorious and hardcore "peña" is Symmachiarii, considered as the club "ultras".

Real Oviedo supporters maintain friendly relations with fans of Deportivo La Coruña, Real Valladolid and Sevilla and internationally with fans of Genoa, Apollon Smyrnis F.C. and Žilina.

Real Oviedo B

The reserve team, which plays since 2022 in the fourth level (Segunda Federación), was formerly named Vetusta. Vetusta was also the original name of the team, before the Royal Spanish Football Federation decree which banned unique reserve club names in the early 1990s.

Real Oviedo (women)

On 28 August 2017, women's club Oviedo Moderno CF signed an agreement with Real Oviedo for using their name and their blue and white colors, instead of their classic black and green, since the 2017–18 season, with the aim to be completely integrated into the structure of the club for the 2018–19 season onwards. The club formerly used the blue and white colors for the 2016–17 promotion play-offs.

Oviedo currently plays in Segunda Federación, the Spanish third tier.