Real Oviedo Calls for Fairness Amidst Controversial Decisions

Our organization demands the respect it deserves and calls for the exclusive application of fair, equitable, and coherent criteria in decision-making, which does not harm Real Oviedo or disrupt the normal progression of the competition. This is the central paragraph from the official statement released by the club on Saturday, following their match against Osasuna at El Sadar. The discontent among Oviedo supporters prompted a response from the club’s leadership, although the dissatisfaction had been brewing for some time.

The season did not begin favorably for the team. In the opening match against Villarreal, Alberto Reina faced a questionable expulsion within the first thirty minutes, which significantly influenced the remainder of the game. This match marked a challenging return to the top tier, from which they had been absent for 24 years. The match against Mallorca was particularly painful, witnessing the expulsions of Cazorla and Fede Viñas, which adversely affected the team’s performance both that day and in the subsequent match.

Further grievances arose in the following games, but the tone of criticism intensified with the arrival of Guillermo Almada as head coach, especially in recent matches. Against Deportivo Alavés, Oviedo took the lead through a goal from Fede Viñas. However, Lucas Boyé equalized with a stunning free-kick, leading to complaints from Oviedo regarding a foul called on Sibo, which they felt was unwarranted, as well as Viñas’s subsequent expulsion. Almada firmly stated, “In my opinion, neither Fede’s challenge nor Sibo’s foul warranted sanctions.”

A week later, during a home match against Real Betis, although Oviedo initially scored through Chaira, they were met with an equalizer from Lo Celso amid controversial circumstances involving a collision with Carmo. Almada expressed his dissatisfaction, asserting, “I believe it was a foul. The shove could be stronger or weaker, but it constitutes a foul as it leads to a goal-scoring opportunity. We cannot influence the referee’s decision.”

The culmination of frustrations unfolded at El Sadar, where a stomp on Chaira in the first half and a handball by Boyomo, later reviewed by VAR, pushed the Oviedo fans’ patience to its limit. Almada remarked, “The only person in the stadium who thought it wasn’t a penalty was the referee.”

While Real Oviedo currently sits at the bottom of La Liga, it is important to note that their struggles are not solely due to refereeing errors, especially considering they have gone 14 consecutive matches without a win. However, there is a palpable sense of abandonment among the fans regarding what they perceive as injustices related to the inconsistent judgment of similar scenarios in other matches.