Five Asturian clubs discovered their opening opponents in the Copa del Rey, highlighted by a historic tie for Ribadesella against a top-division side and regional fixtures set across northern Spain, according to local media reports.
The draw established the initial matchups for the knockout tournament, placing Real Sporting, Real Oviedo, Covadonga, Llanera, and Ribadesella into the national bracket. Anticipation centered heavily on Ribadesella, which awaited a marquee visit from a La Liga club, as reported by regional outlets.
Ribadesella Draws Racing de Santander for Historic Home Tie
Ribadesella secured a historic matchup against Racing de Santander for the opening round, according to Killer Asturias. The Cantabrian side, managed by Asturias native José Alberto, will travel to the coastal town in late October. The fixture marks a milestone moment for the lower-division club as they prepare to host professional opposition in front of their home supporters.
The encounter stands as one of the most anticipated fixtures in the club’s history, bringing second-tier professional football directly to the local ground.
Sporting and Oviedo Face Away Ties in October
Real Sporting was paired with CD Guijuelo, setting up a return trip to the province of Salamanca in late October, as reported by Killer Asturias. The two clubs met in the same competition two years ago at the same venue, where Sporting advanced with a 3-0 victory. This year’s single-leg tie will once again test Sporting on challenging turf.
Real Oviedo will travel to Soria to face CD Numancia at Los Pajartitos, according to Killer Asturias. The fixture serves as the opening match of the tournament for Julián Calero’s squad. Numancia currently competes in Segunda RFEF, providing a competitive test for the visiting Asturian side on historic grounds.
Covadonga and Llanera Prepare for Pucela and Ponferradina
CD Covadonga avoided an intra-regional derby by drawing Real Valladolid, according to Killer Asturias. The Tercera RFEF club will host the top-flight opposition, with El Bayu emerging as the primary candidate venue to host the fixture instead of the club’s usual home ground at Álvarez Rabanal.
UD Llanera received a challenging pairing against SD Ponferradina, according to Killer Asturias. Managed by Chuchi Collado, the team known as los arlequinados is slated to play the fixture in Mieres rather than their home pitch, keeping the match within Asturias as they look to pull off an upset against the visitor from El Bierzo.
Copa del Rey First Round Matchups
| Asturian Club | Opponent | Opponent Category | Expected Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ribadesella CF | Racing de Santander | La Liga Hypermotion (Tier 2) | Ribadesella |
| Real Sporting | CD Guijuelo | Segunda RFEF (Tier 4) | Guijuelo (Salamanca) |
| Real Oviedo | CD Numancia | Segunda RFEF (Tier 4) | Los Pajaritos (Soria) |
| CD Covadonga | Real Valladolid | La Liga (Tier 1) | El Bayu (Candidate) |
| UD Llanera | SD Ponferradina | Primera RFEF (Tier 3) | Mieres |
Lower Ranked Clubs Host Professional Sides in October
The single-elimination ties are scheduled to take place in late October, operating under the traditional Copa del Rey format where lower-ranked clubs host higher-division opponents on their home grounds wherever facility standards permit. The format ensures that clubs from regional divisions receive professional sides in matches designed to produce cup upsets.
