The first meeting between Real Oviedo and Barcelona for 24 years went the way of the LaLiga champions, who ran out 3-1 victors at the Carlos Tartiere Stadium and condemned their hosts to a fifth defeat in six games since gaining promotion from LaLiga2.
Given the length of time between meetings, it was no surprise to see the unfancied hosts harry and compete for every ball in the fledgling minutes, while Barcelona monopolised possession.
Four early corners for Oviedo had the home support in full voice, though Barca’s speed on the break and constant threat when going forward quickly silenced them again.
Marcus Rashford’s fierce volley brought the best out of Oviedo keeper Aaron Escandell, and once Pedri was allowed time and space on the ball, the hosts started to sit deeper than usual and chased shadows for large parts of the first half.
Unusually, the visitors were a little sloppy in their passing but still looked dangerous, Rashford again extending Escandell with a wicked curling shot.
Salomon Rondon almost nicked a goal with an inventive flick as Oviedo pressed, and the same player soon became one of the 10 men behind the ball as the hosts made life difficult for Barca.
Just after the half hour, Raphinha saw his low drive hit the upright with Ronald Araujo’s follow-up well saved by an overly busy Escandell, before Joan Garcia’s huge error left him in no man’s land.
Despite Oviedo’s Alberto Reina being 40 yards out, he took full advantage with a stunning looping effort to put them 1-0 up, scoring just their second goal in six games in so doing.
Haissem Hassan showed Gerard Martin a clean pair of heels straight after the break, but Garcia was equal to his shot, the hosts surprisingly making the running again.
First to every ball and stronger in the challenge, they were embarrassing the Catalan giants, and on 55 minutes, Araujo found himself in the left wing position - the confusion he helped to instigate ended with right-back, Eric Garcia, prodding home the equaliser at the far post.
That sparked Barca into life, though Oviedo managed to hold firm against the onslaught from the visitors until the 70th minute, when substitute Robert Lewandowski powered home a magnificent header.
With the hosts then chasing the game, the spaces began to open up for Barca, and the Polish international almost bagged another from an impossible angle.
As the game entered its final stages, the sloppiness in Barcelona’s play returned, affording Oviedo unexpected opportunities to get forward, to which the crowd responded.
Fortunately for Hansi Flick, his side managed to see out the last few moments without too much trouble, and with two minutes left, a towering header from Araujo sealed all three points, wrapping up Barcelona’s seventh straight win in Thursday-held LaLiga games - and making it a round dozen goals scored (one conceded) in three league matches for the Catalans.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Santi Cazorla (Real Oviedo)
Catch up on all the match stats with Flashscore.