Oviedo's golden opportunity as knackered Athletic come to town
With two weeks' rest against a tired Athletic side fresh from Copa exertions, Real Oviedo have their best chance to kickstart a survival push at Carlos Tartiere.
Bottom-placed Oviedo welcome an exhausted Athletic Bilbao side in what could be the perfect storm for the relegation battlers to secure crucial points in their fight for survival.
Tale of two recoveries
Talk about chalk and cheese when it comes to preparation! Oviedo haven’t kicked a ball in anger for two weeks after their fixture at Rayo Vallecano was postponed due to pitch conditions. Meanwhile, Athletic are absolutely cream crackered after their high-intensity Copa del Rey semi-final battle against Real Sociedad.
If there was ever a “now or never” moment for Guillermo Almada’s men, this is it. They’re rock bottom with 16 points but have that game in hand and desperately need to close the seven-point gap to safety.
Home comforts
The Carlos Tartiere has become something of a fortress lately:
- Unbeaten at home since mid-October
- Last home game: victory against high-flying Girona
- Record of 1 win and 5 draws in last 6 home matches
Two consecutive victories would be a first this season and could spark belief in what seems an increasingly unlikely survival mission.
Wounded Lions
Athletic arrive with several selection headaches:
- Nico Williams is a last-minute absentee with pubis discomfort
- Dani Vivian remains sidelined with adductor issues
- Sancet and Yuri return to the squad but unlikely to start
Valverde’s men are looking to build on their win against Levante, but their record at the Tartiere doesn’t inspire confidence. Their last league visit in 2001 ended in a humiliating 5-0 defeat, while their most recent trip to Oviedo came 15 years ago in a cup tie they narrowly won.
Battle of the marksmen
The key matchup could be between the sides’ main goalscorers - Oviedo’s Uruguayan striker Viñas against Athletic’s Guruzeta (affectionately known as “Gurugol”). Both need to deliver if their teams are to achieve their respective ambitions this season.
For Oviedo, losing defensive stalwart David Costas to injury is a blow, though they do welcome back Rahim to the fold. With Athletic’s tired legs and the home advantage, this represents Oviedo’s best chance to make up ground in the relegation dogfight.