Rubén Yáñez: “The derby is a final” for Sporting

Sporting Gijón captain Rubén Yáñez was the Tuesday voice at Mareo setting the tone ahead of this Sunday’s Asturian derby at the Carlos Tartiere against Oviedo. His message was straightforward: this is not just another game—it’s the kind that shapes the season.

“It’s a final”

Yáñez summed it up without hesitation: “It’s a final.” He said the way to win a derby is to give everything, bring full passion, and face it with maximum “ambition”, “effort” and “sacrifice” through the 90 minutes plus stoppage time. He also expects a tough and competitive match: “It will be very competitive,” with both sides ready to give “100%”, and the Sporting confident they have the “resources and motivation” to go for the win.

Focus on Sporting

On Oviedo’s moment and the pressure that may come from prior results, Yáñez asked not to look outward: “We have to focus on ourselves” and insisted the previous outcome “doesn’t have to determine what happens next.” For him, the key is improving what needs work during the week and showing they can be “very competitive” and “beat anyone.”

He added an emotional note too. He wants the squad—especially new arrivals—to understand the weight of the fixture. He even hopes that next Monday Sporting will be in the papers celebrating with the fans, tying it to a personal drive to “make history.” He also highlighted that winning at the Tartiere is a “debt” the team has and a “goal to achieve.”

New players adapting

Finally, on the squad and adaptation, he said the coach is still getting to know the category and that there’s room to improve, particularly among “the new guys.” In his view, they’re already contributing—“they come in and score”—as a sign the team is competitive. As Sport reported, that was the captain’s message ahead of the derby.