Diego López and Santi Cazorla pay moving tribute to Armando Barbón at the Carlos Tartiere | OneFootball

A poignant tribute took place before Real Oviedo’s meeting with Valencia CF on matchday 27 in LaLiga at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere, as Diego López Noguerol and Santi Cazorla honoured Armando Barbón.

According to Superdeporte, minutes before kick-off López, of Valencia, placed a floral offering at the bust of Barbón outside the ground, with Santi Cazorla, Oviedo’s captain, alongside him.

The Valencia attacker is the godson of the parents of the former Oviedo footballer, a bond that gives each visit to Oviedo special personal meaning.

The image of both players at the monument underlined how football can connect clubs, generations and families in a single memory.

Barbón came through Real Oviedo’s academy and debuted for the first team in the early 2000s, during a particularly difficult period for the club.

The Asturian midfielder played several official matches and was highly regarded by team-mates and supporters. He died in 2003 in a traffic accident, aged 24.

To keep his memory alive, Real Oviedo installed a bust outside the Estadio Carlos Tartiere. Over the years it has become a place of remembrance where supporters often leave flowers, scarves or photographs.

Players and staff also visit on notable dates, and the gesture by López and Cazorla shows how Barbón’s legacy remains present for Oviedismo.

Source: Superdeporte