Raúl is Real Oviedo's new coach after the club sacks Julián Calero

Real Oviedo have swapped coaches within a single afternoon. On Monday the club sacked Julián Calero and, about three hours later, announced Raúl González, the Real Madrid legend, as the new man in charge until June 2028.

What happened?

The rumour had been going around Oviedo for days, especially after a home defeat to Las Palmas. Calero looked shaky because of an uneven start to the season in Segunda (Spain's second tier, known as LaLiga Hypermotion).

Then came Saturday. Oviedo won 1-2 at Cádiz, and it seemed the pressure had eased. It hadn't. On Monday the club announced it was terminating Calero's contract, which ran until 30 June 2027, along with his whole coaching staff.

The club thanked them for their "dedication, professionalism and work". Calero leaves after 13 games: five wins, three draws and four defeats in the league, plus a Copa del Rey exit at Numancia, a fourth-tier side, on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

Who is Raúl as a coach?

Raúl is 49 and has never coached a professional first team. He worked with several of Real Madrid's youth and reserve sides between 2018 and 2025, including Castilla, the club's reserve team.

His biggest success came in 2020, when he won the Youth League (the Champions League for youth teams) with Madrid's Juvenil A side.

He already had a link with Oviedo. Last summer his son Héctor González signed for Vetusta, the club's reserve team in Segunda Federación.

According to the reports, the other main name on the club's shortlist was Rubi, a veteran of Spain's second-tier dugouts. The club leaked Raúl's name to the local press first and made it official later.

What's next?

Raúl will make his professional debut at the Carlos Tartiere, Oviedo's home ground. He inherits a team in ninth place with 21 points.

That is one point off the promotion playoff places and six behind second place, which brings direct promotion to Primera. The target for the season is still going up, and now it's his job to get there.