Raúl González's Challenge: Leading Historic Real Oviedo
The Legendary Striker begins his first managerial adventure outside Real Madrid. His mission is to lead the historic Asturian club back to Spain's top flight.
Real Oviedo are turning to one of Spanish football's most iconic figures to change the direction of their project. Raúl González Blanco will take over as head coach of the Asturian side, with the goal of securing promotion to LaLiga and facing his first major challenge in professional first-team management outside the Real Madrid organization.
RAÚL GONZÁLEZ SIGNS THROUGH JUNE 2028
The club officially announced an agreement with the 49-year-old Madrid-born coach to lead the first team until June 2028. His appointment follows the dismissal of Julián Calero, who left his position despite guiding Oviedo to a 2-1 victory over Cádiz in the previous matchday.
Calero ended his tenure with 21 points from 13 matches, recording six wins, three draws and four defeats. Oviedo currently sit ninth in the LaLiga Hypermotion standings, one point away from the promotion playoff places and six points behind the automatic promotion spots.
Raúl will now be responsible for bringing the team closer to the objective established by Grupo Pachuca: returning to Spain's top flight.
HIS FIRST CHALLENGE OUTSIDE REAL MADRID
The former striker built his entire managerial career within Real Madrid's coaching structure. He joined the club's academy, La Fábrica, in 2018, working with its youth teams before taking charge of Juvenil A, which he led to the UEFA Youth League title in 2020.
He subsequently became head coach of Real Madrid Castilla, managing the reserve team for six seasons. His departure came in May 2025 after he was not given the opportunity to take charge of the first team, despite being linked with the position following the departures of Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti.
His move to Oviedo represents a major change in his career: for the first time, he will lead a first-team project outside Valdebebas.
A REAL MADRID LEGEND GETS A NEW OPPORTUNITY
As a player, Raúl made 1,347 official appearances across Real Madrid, Schalke 04, Al-Sadd and New York Cosmos. With Los Blancos, he won six LaLiga titles and three UEFA Champions League trophies, among other honors. He also represented the Spanish national team 102 times, scoring 44 goals.
His Real Oviedo debut is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, against Girona at the Carlos Tartiere Stadium. The fixture will also carry a personal connection: his son, Héctor, is part of Oviedo Vetusta, the club's reserve team.
Raúl is trading the familiarity of his Real Madrid legacy for a demanding new challenge. His mission is to take Oviedo back to the top flight and prove that his leadership from the dugout can extend beyond the boundaries of the Madrid organization.
RAÚL GONZÁLEZ TAKES ON THE CHALLENGE OF LEADING REAL OVIEDO
- A NEW CHAPTER: The Real Madrid legend has signed with Oviedo through June 2028, taking on his first managerial role outside Valdebebas.
- PROMOTION IS THE GOAL: He arrives to lead the historic Asturian club, currently ninth with 21 points, in its bid to return to LaLiga.
- EXPERIENCE AND TROPHIES: He won the UEFA Youth League with Real Madrid's Juvenil A and managed Castilla for six seasons. As a player, he lifted three Champions League trophies and six LaLiga titles with Los Blancos.
