This night in Asturias brings a clash many would already write off as one-sided, but football has a funny way of surprising people. Real Oviedo welcome Barcelona in what looks on paper like a huge mismatch, even in the game preview. Softfootball expects this to be a comfortable victory, billing the match as a clash between a team fighting for survival against the defending champions.
Oviedo’s start to life back in La Liga hasn’t exactly gone smooth. Four defeats in their first five games and only a single goal scored says it all. They’ve already shipped eight, and the numbers point to a side struggling to adapt. Their only win so far did come at home though, so maybe that gives them something to hold onto. Still, they lost narrowly 1-0 to Elche last time out and with a list of injuries growing, Luis Carrión’s men face an uphill battle here.
Barcelona, meanwhile, seem to be moving at full steam. The Catalans have smashed nine goals in their last two league outings without conceding once. That kind of form doesn’t just happen by chance. Hansi Flick’s side remain unbeaten in the league this term, sitting second, and they don’t look like slowing down. A 3-0 win at Getafe, with Ferran Torres grabbing a brace, showed again how dangerous they are in front of goal.
Barcelona’s official starting XI posted via the club’s official X account:
The records add even more weight. Barça have won six straight La Liga games played on a Thursday and five clean sheets in that run, and they’ve scored ten goals after the break already, twice more than anyone else. On the road, nine wins in ten league games is about as strong as it gets.
Real Oviedo Official starting XI posted via the team’s official X account:
Still, Oviedo’s past against Barcelona offers some odd hope. Somehow, they’ve taken three wins in their last four home meetings with the Giants. And the last time these sides met, back in 2001, Oviedo shocked everyone with a 1-0 victory.
That said, unless history repeats itself, you’d expect Barcelona to walk away with the points this time.
