Julián Calero’s Pre-Match Thoughts: Real Oviedo Gears Up for Season Opener Against Granada

Quick Context: This article breaks down everything Real Oviedo’s head coach Julián Calero said before his team’s first official game of the season against Granada. Think of it as the "state of the union" address before the real action begins.

The Big Picture: What’s Happening?

Real Oviedo is about to kick off their new season with a home game against Granada. Coach Julián Calero sat down with the media to share where the team stands — physically, mentally, and tactically. Here’s the simple version: the foundations are solid, the fans are buzzing, but the team is still a work in progress.

Section 1: How Fit Is the Squad?

Calero was honest — the team isn’t at 100% yet, but they’re managing it carefully.

Key Points:

• Players are "wrapped in cotton wool" — meaning the medical staff is being extra careful with minor knocks and fatigue
• One final test remains before the game — a last training session to see who’s truly ready
• Everyone could play, but a few are risks — Calero will "push it to the limit" deciding the lineup
• The group is united and prepared — morale is high despite some physical overload from preseason
• They might "suffer a little" early on due to fitness levels

Important Callout:
Alberto Reina (a versatile player who can cover multiple positions) has a muscle overload. Calero will decide tomorrow morning whether he plays. This one decision could change the whole team shape.

Section 2: Preseason Report Card — "We’re at 40–60%"

Calero didn’t sugarcoat it: the team isn’t where he wants them to be yet.

Why It’s Hard to Judge:

• Players arrived in dribs and drabs — new signings joined late, disrupting the planning
• You can’t build chemistry fast when half the squad is new
• But the identity is there — the team knows how they want to play: a style fans can identify with

The Missing Pieces:

• "Gears" are missing — tactical connections, automatic movements, timing
• They know what to do, just not when and how fast yet
• Self-assessment: 40%, 50%, or 60% ready — Calero isn’t sure, but knows it’s not 100%

Section 3: The "Fastest Signings Ever" — Good News, Bad News

The Good:

• Never had signings this early — the club moved quickly
• New players came "with a clear head" — no drama, ready to work
• A full squad was built fast — structure is in place

The Challenge:

• Everyone starts from zero — no shared history, no autopilot
• Granada has continuity — same coach (Pacheta), same core, built-in chemistry
• Reality check: "It won’t be easy. Granada is built for the top. They have automatisms. We have to earn everything on the pitch."

Section 4: Transfer Market — Still Open, Still Evolving

• Team evolution is "correct" — some bad games, some good, but upward trend
• Competitive identity is forming — players know what to do in each game moment
• Two weeks left in the window — more moves possible (in or out)
• Calero knows his matchday squad — the rest is noise until the window shuts

Section 5: The Fans Are Back — And It Matters

"I’ve felt the fans re-ignited. That’s huge."

The Emotional Arc:

• Last season hurt — "a wound that takes time to heal"
• Now it’s scarring over — not gone, but no longer bleeding
• Focus is 100% forward — "we feed the fans, they don’t fail us"
• Nearly 30,000 season ticket holders — that’s not just support, that’s a force

Calero’s View:

"The vibes are great. But tomorrow the thermometer starts. We’ll see where we really are."

Section 6: Tactics — Flexible Systems, Fixed Identity

Calero separates two things:

Striker Situation:

• Two in-form strikers? → Play two up top
• One hot, one cold? → Adjust
• Goal: Be unpredictable. "Opponents should know what kind of team Oviedo is — but never exactly how we’ll line up."

Section 7: "If My Grandmother Had Wheels…" — On Squad Gaps

When asked what position needs reinforcing, Calero laughed:

"If my grandmother had wheels, she’d be a bike."

Translation: Speculating is pointless.

The Real Plan:

• Sporting director knows Calero’s priorities
• First 3 league games = evaluation period
• Then they’ll know exactly what’s missing
• Market stays open — they’ll act if needed

Section 8: Player Spotlights

Pablo Sáenz — The Experienced Pro

• Not a kid — mature, knows his role
• Facing his old club — extra motivation, but focused all week
• Has a "special quality" Calero wants to unlock
• Key: Put him in the right zones — if he drifts, he loses impact
• Calero’s happy with him — "we’ll see if we get him in his sweet spots"

Enzo Pérez — The 17-Year-Old Prodigy

• Training well, getting the ideas
• Personality beyond his years — "he’s going to be a footballer"
• Age doesn’t matter — "you can play at 19 or 38 if you understand the game"
• Same chance as anyone — no special treatment, no protection
• Must earn it daily — "know where you are, do things right"

Section 9: Pressing & Identity — Adapt, Don’t Abandon

• Pressing changes per opponent — smart adjustments, not rigid dogma
• But core identity stays — "we don’t lose who we are"
• Personality on the pitch — impose your game, don’t just react

Section 10: "No Asturians in the Squad" — The Modern Reality

"It’s modern football, unfortunately."

The Shift:

• Back in Calero’s day — teams were local kids, built-in identity
• Now — Oviedo players play elsewhere, Oviedo signs from everywhere
• It’s everywhere — "Ask how many Madrid-born players are in Madrid’s teams"

Calero’s Response:

• He’d love local hearts — but adapts to reality
• His job: Make every player feel Oviedo
• Integration tactics: Live in the city, shop at Alimerka (local supermarket), breathe the culture
• He’s not from Oviedo either — but wants to feel like one of them
• That’s what he demands from his players

Section 11: Pacheta Calls Oviedo "Favorites" — Calero Shrugs

Granada’s coach Pacheta said Oviedo are favorites.

Calero’s Take:

• "Coach talk" — "I see them as favorites too"
• Matchday 1 = everyone’s a contender
• No pressure — not on him, not on players
• Only goal: Build a team that competes well, every minute

Summary: What You Need to Know

FAQ: Your Burning Questions Answered

1. Is Alberto Reina playing tomorrow?

Decision comes tomorrow morning. He has a muscle overload and can play multiple positions — so his absence would force a tactical reshuffle.

2. Why is the team only 40–60% ready?

New signings arrived late, so preseason was spent integrating people instead of perfecting patterns. The idea is clear; the automatisms aren’t.

3. Will Oviedo sign more players?

Very likely. The sporting director knows Calero’s wishlist. They’ll use the first three games to spot gaps, then act before the window closes.

4. Why no local Asturian players?

Modern football economics. Talented locals leave; clubs recruit globally. Calero doesn’t like it, but focuses on making every player adopt Oviedo’s soul.

5. Should we believe the "favorites" talk?

No. Calero calls it "coach games." Matchday 1 means nothing. The only label that matters: a team that competes.

Final Thought

"Tomorrow the thermometer starts."

All the talk, all the prep, all the hope — it meets reality at kickoff. Oviedo has a clear identity, a roaring crowd, and a coach who knows exactly who he is. Now they just have to do it on the grass.

Let’s go, Azules.