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September 7, 2024

The reasons why you shouldn’t miss Real Sporting vs. Real Oviedo this weekend’s Asturian derby – La Liga

This derby has a rich history dating back nearly a century and has a significant connection to Mexico.

This Saturday, September 7, at El Molinón, at 18:30 CEST, Real Sporting and Real Oviedo will play again. One of the most captivating games in Spain’s second division is the LALIGA HYPERMOTION Matchday 4 matchup. But why is this local derby so unique?

This derby has always been one of the most passionate and intense in Spanish football, regardless of the competition or level within the Spanish football pyramid. The rivalry’s roots run deep, with the primary factor being the longstanding rivalry between the cities, which dates back well beyond football.

Gijón, home to Real Sporting, is the largest city in Asturias, an autonomous community in northern Spain. Meanwhile, Oviedo, slightly smaller, is the Asturian capital. As is common in many regions, there’s a natural tension between the largest city and the capital, with each vying to be seen as more successful.

Founded in 1905, Real Sporting predated Real Oviedo, which was established in 1926. From the outset, these clubs gave the residents of each city a platform to express their civic pride and rivalries. Their first derby match in 1926 saw Real Sporting claim a 2-1 victory on a wild, windy day in Asturias, sparking a tradition of fiercely contested encounters that has continued across various competitions over the years.

However, this derby took a 14-year break between 2003 and 2017, which helps explain why the two clubs’ current meetings are particularly special.

After falling to the fourth division in Spanish football in 2003, Real Oviedo faced the real risk of leaving business after vacillating between the fourth and third divisions. Yet they were saved when fans, former players, and Mexican businessman Carlos Slim bought shares in the club.

Allowing them to survive and gradually work their way back up the Spanish footballing hierarchy, reaching LA LIGA HYPERMOTION in 2015. Since Real Sporting was playing at the LA LIGA EA SPORTS level then, so these two long standing rivals could only square off again once Los Rojiblancos were relegated in 2017.

Consequently, September 9, 2017, saw the first derby at El Molinón-Enrique Castro Quini in 14 years, 3 months, and 22 days. They now play each other again, nearly seven years later, but this time, there’s a twist: Real Sporting is now also owned by Mexicans.

Real Sporting was acquired by Grupo Orlegi of Mexico in June 2022. The conglomerate, led by businessman Alejandro Irarragorri, is becoming increasingly prominent in the sports sector. It currently owns shares in clubs in Scotland, Colombia, and the United States, in addition to Liga MX teams Atlas FC and Santos Laguna.

Furthermore, Grupo Pachuca became the majority shareholder of the Asturian team in July of that same year when it purchased 51% of Real Oviedo’s shares. Twenty percent of the shares are owned by Grupo Carso, led by businessman Carlos Slim.

Additionally, Grupo Pachuca has a long history in the sports industry. The group also owns Pachuca and León, two of the most prominent teams in Liga MX, as well as Everton of Chile and Atlético Atenas de San Carlos of Uruguay, two teams in the second division.

The fact that both teams have supporter clubs in Mexico and that ties between Mexico and Asturia have grown in recent years has created a lot of excitement among the supporters of this derby match despite the commercial interests of both clubs in the nation.

Due to the high caliber of both playing teams, they also made it to the LA LIGA HYPERMOTION playoffs the previous season. These teams aspire to win promotion this season even though they both start this derby in the bottom half of the standings. Thus, there are several reasons to attend this Saturday’s game instead of missing it. Saturday’s.

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