Raul Appointed Real Oviedo Manager in First Senior Club Role
Real Madrid great Raul takes charge of second-division Real Oviedo on a contract to June 2028, replacing the sacked Julian Calero.
Raul has been appointed manager of Spanish second division club Real Oviedo, marking his first senior club management role. The former Real Madrid striker has signed a contract running until June 2028, Oviedo announced.
The 49-year-old takes over from Julian Calero, who was dismissed by the club on Monday with Oviedo sitting ninth in Spain's second division. Raul had coached Real Madrid's reserves from 2019 to 2025, and this appointment is his first step into senior club management.
In a club video, Raul outlined his approach, saying his understanding of football combines respect for the squad's talent with a demand for unconditional effort. He added that the team must fight from the first minute to the last for victory so that supporters can be proud.
Raul's playing career was closely tied to Real Madrid, where he won the Champions League three times and six La Liga titles. He scored 323 goals in 741 appearances for the Bernabeu club before later playing for Schalke in Germany, Al Sadd in Qatar and the New York Cosmos in the United States. At international level, he scored 44 goals in 102 games for Spain.
The appointment gives Oviedo a high-profile figure as it seeks to improve on its mid-table position in the second tier. Raul's lengthy spell coaching Real Madrid's reserves provides the main preparation for his new role, although he has not previously managed a senior club side.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
