Lama de Góngora saves the day with a lone ear in a dull Fuente Ymbro corrida

It was one of those afternoons that separate those who merely wear the suit of lights from those who truly want to become bullfighters. Fuente Ymbro brought to Sevilla a herd that, while well-presented, fell short in terms of bravery and spark—many bulls were dull, heavy-footed, and lacking emotion. Despite that, the three matadors gave it their all—Calerito even paying the price with his own body—and managed to stir the Maestranza.

Lama de Góngora opened the afternoon against a bull that barely responded, showing little strength or spirit in the first stages. The Sevillian did what he could, finding some merit especially on the left side, where he extracted the most fluid passes of the performance. A clean, effective sword earned him a respectful ovation.

He returned with strong intent in the fourth, receiving his bull at the gates with a portagayola. Juan José Domínguez was warmly applauded after a strong performance with the banderillas. The bull offered the best behaviour so far, particularly on the right horn. Lama de Góngora began with commitment, though a disarming early on threatened to derail the work. He recovered quickly, and the best passages came on the right, with fluid, rhythmic passes. He finished the job with a solid estocada and was awarded a deserved ear.

Calerito greeted the second bull with elegant verónicas, gaining ground and finishing with class. With the muleta, he started confidently on the right side, linking fluid series that got the music playing. On the left, the bull slowed and lost interest, cutting short what had started as a promising faena. He killed at the second attempt and was applauded.

Then came the drama. The fifth bull was loose and unpredictable, and it caught Calerito early on in brutal fashion, tossing him into the air. Clearly hurt, he refused to leave the ring and bravely resumed the fight, even managing two strong right-handed series. The bull soon faded, and Calerito suffered another knock before finally killing it at the second attempt. Despite the pain, he took a lap of honour to thunderous applause. He was later transferred to hospital, diagnosed with a serious knee injury.

Samuel Navalón, the youngest of the trio, showed nerves of steel as he opened his debut with a portagayola followed by solid verónicas. His faena was calm and well-structured, drawing the best from a bull that had little to offer. With good timing and strong positioning, he created several moments of quality on both sides and finished with bold bernardinas. A strong estocada followed, but the crowd’s petition for an ear fell short. He took a lively lap of honour.

In the final bout, he again knelt at the gates, but the sixth bull had nothing to give—dull, defensive, and short of charge. Navalón tried everything but had little reward. He needed three attempts with the sword, and the silence that followed felt more respectful than reproachful.