Andorra 1-3 Sporting: The Principality curse is broken (and Casas makes his statement)
- Sporting achieves their first historic victory in Andorra after three visits without winning, breaking the curse of the Principality with a convincing 1-3
- Antonio Casas redeems himself by scoring in the match, contributing to the second away victory of the season just before the derby
- Larcamón made significant tactical changes including the return of recovered Manu Rodríguez and a system reorganization with Pablo García on the left flank
Some news makes you jump off the sofa. And then there's news that makes you check the calendar to make sure it's not April 1st. José Mourinho's return to Real Madrid is the latter. But it's real. Fabrizio Romano, the oracle of the transfer market, confirmed it on May 18th: a two-year verbal agreement between the Special One and the white club.
Mourinho arrives at a very particular moment for Madrid. The 2025/26 season has been, without mincing words, an absolute disaster. Xabi Alonso, who arrived full of hope, was sacked in January after losing the Super Cup final to Barcelona. Álvaro Arbeloa, the Castilla manager, had to step in as caretaker and put out the flames. And Hansi Flick's Barça have won LaLiga by 14 points. Two seasons running.
The operation has all its loose ends tied up: the official announcement will come on May 23rd, after the Real Madrid vs Athletic Club match. The compensation to Benfica, his current club, is around 7 million euros. Contract until mid-2028.
What can Mourinho bring to the table? Defensive structure, competitive mentality and, above all, a motivational capacity that's second to none. The problem is that football in 2026 isn't what it was in 2010-2013. We'll have to see if the smartest dinosaur on the bench has adapted to the new era.
The big showdown awaiting us next season: Mourinho vs Flick. Organised chaos against positional football. The bus parked in front of the box vs pressure after losing possession. The preseason headlines are going to be absolutely epic.
Frequently asked questions
How did the Andorra - Sporting match end?
FC Andorra 1 - 3 Real Sporting de Gijón, on matchday 6 of LaLiga Hypermotion 2026/27, played on 19 September 2026 at the Estadi de la FAF in Encamp.
Who scored Sporting's goals in Andorra?
Aimar Duñabeitia (6'), with a header after a corner from Corredera; Antonio Casas (66'), from a pass by Juan Otero; and Nikita Iosifov (90+6'), into an empty net in the final play. For Andorra, Jordi Cano scored (48').
Had Sporting won in Andorra before?
No. This is Sporting's first victory in Andorra: in their three previous visits they had two 1-0 defeats and a 0-0 draw, without scoring any goals.
What changes did Larcamón make against Andorra?
He brought on Manu Rodríguez for Nacho Martín and changed the system with Pablo García on the left flank and Iosifov on the right, leaving Sarco out. In the 58th minute, Bruno Rubio and Antonio Casas came on, with Casas scoring the 1-2.
What position is Sporting in after matchday 6?
With 10 points, Sporting provisionally sat sixth, in playoff positions, pending the rest of the matchday to be completed.
When is Sporting's next match?
The Asturian derby against Real Oviedo, on Sunday 27 September 2026 at 21:00 at the Carlos Tartiere.
📊 Match page
FC Andorra – Real Sporting de Gijón
· stats, line-ups and report
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