1997–98 Sporting de Gijón season
# 1997–98 Sporting de Gijón season

The 1997–98 Sporting de Gijón season was the 36th season of the club in La Liga, the 22nd consecutive after its last promotion. The club ended the season as 20th qualified with only 13 points.

## Overview

After avoiding the relegation in the previous season, Miguel Montes continued at the helm of the team, but he was quickly sacked after the first four rounds, where Real Sporting did not win any point, scored only three goals and received 14 against.

Antonio Maceda replaced him, but he was sacked after the 15th round, earning only two points in nine games. Maceda was replaced by José Manuel Díaz Novoa. Novoa achieved the first win in the league, ending with 23 rounds without winning any game, the worst streak in the history of La Liga. He resigned after the 31st round, being substituted by José Antonio Redondo, who only could win another game in his first match as head coach.

Real Sporting was relegated in March and ended the season with the lowest points in the history of the La Liga.

After the end of the season, the Player of the Season award was given to the supporters.

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | GK | ESP | Juan Carlos Ablanedo |
| 2 | DF | ARG | Roberto Trotta |
| 3 | DF | RUS | Yuri Nikiforov |
| 4 | DF | ESP | Sergio |
| 5 | DF | ESP | Rubén Darío Acebal |
| 6 | MF | ESP | Ricardo Bango |
| 8 | MF | ESP | Tomás |
| 9 | FW | POL | Cezary Kucharski |
| 9 | FW | YUG | Vladimir Popović |
| 10 | MF | RUS | Igor Lediakhov |
| 11 | MF | ESP | José Manuel |
| 12 | MF | RUS | Alexei Kosolapov |
| 13 | GK | YUG | Dragoje Leković |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 14 | MF | ESP | Fredi |
| 14 | MF | BRA | Rodrigão |
| 15 | FW | RUS | Dmitri Cheryshev |
| 16 | FW | ESP | Kaiku |
| 17 | DF | ESP | Pablo |
| 19 | FW | ESP | Luna |
| 20 | DF | ESP | Francisco Villarroya |
| 21 | DF | ESP | Jesús Enrique Velasco |
| 22 | MF | ESP | David Cano |
| 23 | MF | ESP | Antonio Poyatos |
| 24 | MF | ESP | Álex |
| 25 | GK | ESP | Juanjo |
| 28 | DF | ESP | Mingo |

### From the youth squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 27 | MF | ESP | Mario |
| 29 | DF | ESP | Isma |
| 30 | MF | ESP | Salvador Capín |
| 31 | MF | ESP | Manolo |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 32 | MF | ESP | Óscar Fernández |
| 34 | DF | ESP | Iván Otero |
| 35 | MF | ESP | Alberto |
| 36 | FW | ESP | Miguel |

## Competitions

### La Liga

**Results by round**

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Ground | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | L | L | L | L | L | L | D | L | L | L | L | L | D | L | L | D | L | L | L | L | L | L | L | W | L | L | D | L | L | D | D | W | L | L | L | L | D | L |
| Position | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 |

**League table**

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 16 | Tenerife | 38 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 44 | 57 | −13 | 45 | |
| 17 | Compostela (R) | 38 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 56 | 66 | −10 | 44 | Qualification for the relegation playoffs |
| 18 | Oviedo (O) | 38 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 36 | 51 | −15 | 40 | Qualification for the relegation playoffs |
| 19 | Mérida (R) | 38 | 9 | 12 | 17 | 33 | 53 | −20 | 39 | Relegation to the Segunda División |
| 20 | Sporting Gijón (R) | 38 | 2 | 7 | 29 | 31 | 80 | −49 | 13 | Relegation to the Segunda División |

* ↑ RAC: 8 pts; SAL: 4 pts → SAL 2-0 TEN; TEN: 4 pts → TEN 2-0 SAL

## Squad statistics

### Appearances and goals

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | La Liga | La Liga | Copa del Rey | Copa del Rey |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | ESP | Juan Carlos Ablanedo | 23 | 0 | 21+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | ARG | Roberto Trotta | 18 | 3 | 17+1 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | RUS | Yuri Nikiforov | 27 | 0 | 27+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ESP | Sergio | 27 | 0 | 23+2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ESP | Rubén Darío Acebal | 12 | 0 | 9+1 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | ESP | Ricardo Bango | 19 | 2 | 9+8 | 2 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | ESP | Tomás | 33 | 3 | 23+8 | 3 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | POL | Cezary Kucharski | 13 | 2 | 3+9 | 2 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 9 | MF | YUG | Vladimir Popović | 11 | 0 | 2+9 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | RUS | Igor Lediakhov | 19 | 4 | 15+2 | 4 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | ESP | José Manuel | 29 | 0 | 23+4 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 12 | MF | RUS | Alexei Kosolapov | 6 | 1 | 4+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | YUG | Dragoje Leković | 5 | 0 | 5+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | ESP | Fredi | 1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 14 | MF | BRA | Rodrigão | 8 | 1 | 6+2 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | RUS | Dmitri Cheryshev | 29 | 7 | 21+6 | 6 | 2+0 | 1 |
| 16 | FW | ESP | Kaiku | 22 | 1 | 14+7 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | ESP | Pablo | 19 | 0 | 16+2 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 19 | FW | ESP | Luna | 12 | 3 | 5+7 | 3 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 20 | DF | ESP | Francisco Villarroya | 14 | 0 | 10+3 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | ESP | Jesús Enrique Velasco | 14 | 0 | 10+3 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | ESP | David Cano | 23 | 3 | 16+6 | 3 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | ESP | Antonio Poyatos | 26 | 0 | 22+3 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | ESP | Álex | 27 | 1 | 18+8 | 1 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 25 | GK | ESP | Juanjo | 12 | 0 | 12+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | ESP | Mario | 33 | 0 | 24+7 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | ESP | Mingo | 25 | 0 | 23+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | ESP | Isma | 3 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 30 | FW | ESP | Salvador Capín | 6 | 0 | 5+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | ESP | Manolo | 21 | 0 | 19+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 32 | DF | ESP | Óscar Fernández | 2 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 34 | DF | ESP | Iván Otero | 17 | 0 | 15+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 35 | FW | ESP | Alberto | 4 | 0 | 2+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 36 | FW | ESP | Miguel | 5 | 1 | 4+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
