Real Oviedo II vs Real Avilés

Both teams set out to play controlled football from the first whistle. The new Avilés, lining up in a 4-3-3 under Iglesias, saw the first real chance of the match when captain Natalio collected a well-worked move involving Cayarga and Brais Abelenda, only for his shot to be saved by Oviedo goalkeeper Samu (15').

The Vetusta responded immediately from a set piece, but a header sailed over the bar without troubling Marco Coronas — the Avilés goalkeeper facing the club where he came through the youth ranks.

Natalio turned provider shortly after, releasing Santamaría with a pass, but the forward's shot drifted wide. Cayarga tried his luck from distance without success. For the hosts, Lamine was the most dangerous outlet, creating several threatening moments.

As expected in a first pre-season friendly, both benches were emptied after half-time. Iglesias made ten changes, retaining only Mangel — who switched from centre-back to holding midfield. Álvaro Ratón took over in goal, while Jon Sillero, Markel Artetxe and Escoruela formed part of a completely new defensive line.

Oviedo coach Roberto Aguirre also rang the changes, introducing nine substitutes.

The second half was less fluid in attack terms. Avilés struggled to create clear chances against a Vetusta side that enjoyed more possession and looked sharper on the ball. The visitors' best opportunities came late: Geni forced a save, Íñigo Muñoz cut inside from the right to shoot, and Mahicas directed a header goalwards from a free-kick — but none found the target.

The mass substitutions at half-time naturally disrupted the rhythm. Avilés lost the midfield control they had shown in the opening 45 minutes, and the shapeless second period reflected the early stage of pre-season. The real value lay in minutes accumulated and patterns tested, not the scoreline.

• Natalio (Real Avilés): The captain was the most influential player on the pitch in the first half, creating Avilés's best chance and then turning provider for Santamaría. His movement between the lines caused problems.
• Brais Abelenda (Real Avilés): The Galician midfielder combined well with the forwards and showed signs of becoming a key creative hub for Iglesias's system.
• Lamine (Real Oviedo Vetusta): The most dangerous attacker for the home side, consistently finding space and creating chances.
• Mangel (Real Avilés): Versatile performance — started at centre-back and moved into midfield after the break, the only Avilés player to complete the full match.

The 0-0 scoreline tells the story of two sides in the early stages of pre-season conditioning. Real Avilés controlled periods of the first half with purposeful possession and fluid movement — particularly full-back Sebas inverting into central areas to create numerical superiority. However, the lack of a cutting edge was evident: the new-look attack, featuring summer signings and trialists, created few clear-cut chances. Oviedo Vetusta, a side that narrowly missed promotion from Segunda RFEF last season, grew into the game and had the better of the second half, showing greater cohesion from a squad that has been together longer.

This was a building block for both sides. For Real Avilés, it was the first public outing under Yago Iglesias, who took over in the summer and is reconstructing a squad for Primera RFEF duty. The club are still active in the transfer market, reportedly seeking more firepower up front (La Nueva España, 24 July 2026).

Oviedo Vetusta, preparing for another Segunda RFEF campaign, have a more settled group and showed it in their second-half dominance.

Next up:

• Real Avilés face Marino de Luanco on Wednesday 29 July at Miramar.
• Real Oviedo Vetusta continue pre-season with further friendlies before their league campaign begins on the first weekend of September.

A typical pre-season stalemate — low on goalmouth action but high on utility for the coaching staff. Avilés showed encouraging signs in possession and structure under Iglesias, but the lack of penetration in the final third confirmed why the club are still shopping for attacking reinforcements. Oviedo Vetusta's organisation suggests they will be competitive again in Segunda RFEF.