40 anecdotes from the Asturian derby told by the great protagonists of Sporting and Oviedo

1-Alberto Lora

I remember how it was lived the whole week before. It was 2017 and we hadn’t played a derby for many years. There was a lot of desire. That week was amazing. The welcome at El Molinón; the red and white colors inside the stadium. It was all very nice.

2- Alex Perez

I think the return derby from El Molinón (2017) was the most exciting game of my career. I will never forget. How it rained! It looked like a real battle. It almost seemed more like a war than a match. I will never forget how El Molinón celebrated that 1-0 win over Carmona. Amazing.

3- Alex Joy

He had already experienced what was a Betis-Sevilla. It was very similar! I will not forget the match (2019). Also, I scored a goal. The memory of all that is still very present.

4- José Ramón Rodríguez (Rubén Baraja’s second coach)

The Tartiere derby… It was bittersweet. We started winning with a goal from Jony, but those two goals from Mossa turned it around. That gave it a bitter taste. But from that moment a union of doors was conceived inside. We managed to chain 12 games without losing (10 wins and 2 draws) managing to cut Huesca by 17 points. It helped us to fight the ascent until the end

4- Manolo Álvarez Llana (Peña Nacho Cases)

I scored three derbies. In 93. Juanele’s goal with 0-1, Villa’s goal, but the one I’m sure I won’t forget is the one from 2019: when Ibra’s goal was annulled.

5- Adrián Nuñez (UNIPES)

I will not forget the derby that was in the Copa del Rey and the year that Oviedo went down. He came from La Felguera on the ‘Directo a El Molinón’ buses. I remember the traffic jam at the entrance to Pilés. We arrived just in time… We had to run up the stairs and we arrived with the anthem already playing. We won 4-2 against Oviedo and where Villa pointed out what would be later

6- Janus Murias

My first memory in a derby was in Oviedo, at the Tartiere. I think it was the week of San Mateo. And we won with that goal from Juanele… I remember how it was celebrated. It was incredible

7-Javier Castaño

I had experienced it as a fan, standing there, where the Youth Fund. And then I had to live it as a player. I remember that victory in Oviedo with Juanele’s goal. I entered last, with a few minutes remaining. We celebrated a lot in the locker room.

8-Peybernes

I still have the derby in mind. That play at the end of the game. Ibra’s lack was very clear! There were a lot of nerves at the end. It was all very exciting. It was a foul, no matter how much they protested it later.

9- Novoa

I remember a derby in which a stand fell, that of Pilés. An injured fan left, who had to go to the hospital. The game had to be stopped for a few minutes! They were moments of great tension. And when it resumed, many fans were watching the game standing up.

10- Fernando Fueyo

Derby weeks are always special. I always write to Mario (Cotelo, Sporting delegate) and some other player and coach. Those days I’m really on top… This is going to be the first derby that I can’t go to El Molinón. I’m already very poor mobility.

11- Tati

I will never forget the derby in Oviedo in which we lost because I gave Lacatus a very clear penalty. Ciriaco still reminded me of it recently and he told me ‘Tati, I always thought you were an intelligent player, but that day…! I remember how I threw myself on the ground, mowing, I dragged myself thinking that I was reaching the ball, but when I was already on the ground I already knew that I was not coming, I already knew that I was late, but I couldn’t stop myself. Lacatus was smart. He extended his foot. Penalty. and goal.

12- Tomas Hervas

I will never forget the derby in which Avelino swept the referee. He took him two meters ahead. He went flying! It was a very rough derby, which will be in my memory for that action.

13- Luis Sierra

The 0-1, with Juanele’s goal. We went euphoric to celebrate with the fans. There were thousands of people celebrating! That image, puff, was very exciting… It’s not easy to forget.

14- Pepin Braña

I remember a derby because of what happened in the El Molinón parking lot. I was a manager. There I was and suddenly I ran into Eugenio Prieto. And he was with Sañudo walking through the parking lot. Sanudo was angry, he was a very tough player. I told him, “presi, what’s wrong?”. Eugenio told me: “But what are you doing here? You don’t have to be here!

15- World (Cave Rock)

I remember one year I went to see the derby at the Tartiere; I was working in Oviedo. I met a lady who was a regular customer of the Sidrería where she worked. And she saw her and she was very correct, always polite. I think her name was ‘Doña Emilia’. Then, in the stadium, it was someone else. It didn’t look like her. That was a caged tiger. What a mouth she had!

16- Carlos Garcia Raven

One of my last derbies as a coach, or the last… We were winning. And they turned the game around, with a great Carlos. I have that memory very present because of how it escaped us…

17- Óscar Whalley

I didn’t get to play, but I’ll never forget the silence in the locker room after losing that derby in Oviedo. Silence was heard; there was no noise. Everything was silence. Never was a silence heard more. The sensations were very hard

18- Adrian Montoro

I will not forget that week. The encouragement of the fans in training. And the game in Oviedo. All last week for water. I remember when the coach said my name in the locker room. The field was heavy, wet. I don’t forget the atmosphere… Deafening.

19- Ringo Menendez (Peña El Chorby)

It is not a specific memory, but a complaint as a fan. Not being able to go freely. Not being able to enjoy the derbies. We don’t like that feeling.

20- Djukic

The derby in El Molinón was a tough defeat for us. It was an even match, which was decided by small details. Oviedo came out to defend themselves and against them; but we lacked fluidity

21-Rocha

Just going out to warm up moved me. It was Asturias Day and the atmosphere in the stands was incredible. Toche’s goal meant that Oviedo had returned. It was like saying: we are here, we have already matched you. That’s why it was celebrated like this

22- Toche

I had planned the celebration of that goal. But he didn’t know if he was going to wear a bracelet. The first captain was Linares. When I saw that I was going to call him, that’s when I started thinking about it. Luckily he hit it and I remembered to take it out

23-Ibrahima

I cried a lot when that goal was stolen from us. It was a legal goal. When I got to the locker room, I couldn’t stop crying when I saw the locker room collapsed. It was very hard

24- Anquela

I have never seen someone so great cry in such a disconsolate way and as if he were a child after that derby with the disallowed goal against Ibra. We felt that something of ours had been stolen from us! The referee gave a goal. But the line came and….

25- Jaime Campillo

My first memory of a derby is when I was 5 years old… That goal by Quini. We lost. People entered the stadium very happy and wanting to cheer and left sad. I keep that contrast in mind.

26- Jerkan

I remember one day arriving at El Molinón by bus. The trip had been organized in such a way by the Police that until arrival we almost avoided running into anyone on the streets of Gijón: either they were cut off or there was a large security device. But suddenly… I remember looking out the bus windows and seeing women, but older women, 70 or older, insulting and screaming like crazy out the window. There, at that moment, I understood everything.

27- Oli

My first goal in a derby. It was within a shot of Prosi. I was attentive. That goal later served to win the derby. I remember that it was a tough game, very rough, with several expelled. It was special for the goal and win

28- Diego

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of a derby is that goal. I didn’t count on playing during the week. But I told several teammates: “And if I play and score a goal? And Nieto is injured, unfortunately. And that feeling is fulfilled in the first few minutes. It was the most important goal of my career

29- Fermin Alvarez

The biggest memory is my first derby. A long time ago. I think in 1989. I was in the Juvenil del Oviedo and I experienced it with a Peña. Football was seen on foot. It was all shocking. People crying, older men crying with emotion…

30- Willie

I remember a friendly that Sporting beat us 0-5 with a great match from the Portuguese striker (José Gomes). Then that player did nothing, but that day he almost single-handedly beat us

31- Eugenio Prieto

I remember a hobby I had in derbies. She never released anything. And if the shirt was burned, well better. He also had a habit or hobby of going to dinner the day before the game at Casa Justo, in Gijón

32- Ortuno

See El Molinón empty due to covid. Wow, what a picture. Experiencing a derby like this had a great impact on me, because I was used to the atmosphere I saw on TV. Words were heard between companions. We won, with a goal from Borja.

34- Juan Carlos

It is lived with a lot of passion. Sometimes we forgot that there was a game before. Pretty longing, but excessive. She is the hottest, but without more

33- Manuel LaFuente

I remember a conversation with Gabino in a derby that coincided precisely with the day of the Ascension Fair. Gabino went to rest. We talk about the future of Real Oviedo. It was a key moment, for everything.

34- Carlos Hernandez

Playing the Asturian derby was the most exciting game of my career. I remember it with maximum emotion. It was a very special game

35- Paco Herrera

I remember that even at that time there was some kind of food between four or five players from one team and another. I do not say in the previous one, but yes during the year. It was usually related to the players who had more experience. I was part of a group of pipiolos, like Megido, Joaquín, González Díaz, Redondo… We were young and we saw it a bit from a distance, with our eyes and ears wide open. That was a special match.

36- Ramón Folch

I never experienced an atmosphere like that of the Asturian derbies: it was brutal. I remember the one I played in Oviedo. The stands, the full stadium, it was something incredible

37- Juan Rodriguez

I didn’t get to play in the Asturian derbies, but I did experience them from the bench. The atmosphere that was breathed in those games was something incredible and very beautiful

38- André Sousa

At Sporting I was left with the thorn of not playing a derby. I was amazed at the emotion of how they lived: they were Asturian football festivals. Everything. There was a lot, a lot of emotion

39- Linares

Playing the Asturian derby for the first time was a new situation for everyone. When we stepped onto the pitch at El Molinón and saw that corner in blue: we knew we had to play that game for them, for everyone

40- Hector Greens

I realized when we trained at the Tartiere, on Saturday, on the eve of the game at El Molinón, that’s when I realize everything that is at stake in those games: you play with the feeling and pride of a city.