Santi Cazorla scores in playoff as Real Oviedo end 24-year wait for La Liga return
Santi Cazorla inspired Real Oviedo's playoff win 32 years after he first joined the club and 22 after he had to leave against his will.
Santi Cazorla inspired Real Oviedo's playoff win 32 years after he first joined the club and 22 after he had to leave against his will. Photograph: Juan ManuelReal Oviedo sealed their return to La Liga after 24 years with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Mirandés – and 40-year-old Santi Cazorla was among the scorers.
Oviedo triumphed 3-1 at home in Saturday's promotion playoff, overturning a first-leg deficit with goals from Cazorla, Ilyas Chaira and Francisco Portillo. A packed Estadio Carlos Tartiere erupted as fans stormed the pitch at the final whistle.
Advertisement
Related: Santi Cazorla: 'I would play for free but you're not allowed'
Cazorla started his career in Oviedo's youth team, joining at the age of eight and watching his heroes: Carlos Munoz, Slavisa Jokanovic, Robert Prosinecki and Petr Dubovsky. A decade later he had to leave against his will amid a financial crisis at the club. He went on to star with Villarreal, Arsenal and Spain but returned to his boyhood club two years ago, vowing: 'I would play for free but you're not allowed.'
He scored the decisive goal in the playoff semi-final against Almería from a free-kick and has now completed the fairytale by firing his boyhood club back into the big time. Cazorla scored from the penalty spot in the first half of the second leg after Joaquin Panichelli's goal had given Mirandés a two-goal lead in the two-legged affair. Chair's second-half strike took the tie to extra time and two minutes before the break in the extra half an hour, Portillo hit the winner to send the home fans wild.
The club from Asturias, in the north-west of Spain, will join Levante and Elche in next season's top tier, replacing relegated Leganés, Las Palmas and Valladolid.
Advertisement
Oviedo's coach, Veljko Paunovic, told La Liga TV: 'There's no way to describe what this means to us. These players are heroes, every single one of them. They deserve great recognition.'
Red cards for Oviedo's David Costas and Unai Egiluz of Mirandés at the end of extra time did not sour a historic occasion for a team that almost went out of business when they plummeted to Spain's fourth tier at the start of the century.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
McAtee nets opener as England beat Spain to reach U21 Euros semi-finals
James McAtee scored the first goal of the game as England beat Spain 3-1 in the quarter-finals of the 2025 U21 European Championships in Slovakia. Captaining Lee Carsley's side, McAtee pounced on a loose ball to turn home from a few yards out after just 10 minutes. Advertisement That was backed up shortly after by Harvey Elliott, who made the most of a tap in after a low shot was spilled by goalkeeper Alejandro Iturbe. Spain were given a lifeline as half-time approached when Jarrell Quansah tripped Alberto Moleiro in the box. Valencia's Javi Guerra made no mistake from the spot, halving England's lead at the break. With England working hard to keep Spain at arm's length in the second period, McAtee - a creative midfielder who shines on the ball - ran himself into the ground. Our Academy graduate was replaced in the 71st minute as Carsley sought to reinforce further back. Advertisement England held firm and were even able to make the game safe in stoppage time, when Jonathan Rowe was felled by Iturbe in the box. Nottingham Forest's Elliot Anderson converted for the defending champions to ensure safe progress. Speaking after the game, McAtee was only focused on what's to come. "We're over the moon but the focus is the semi-final now," he said. "We got through the group but we knew it wasn't good enough so we had to step it up today so we're glad we got the win." McAtee and England will now face Netherlands at the Slovakian national stadium in Bratislava at 17:00 (UK) on Wednesday 25 June for a place in the final. We'll have a report from that game on and our official app shortly after it concludes.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
'We are in contact' – Real Madrid superstar confirms he is close to signing new contract
Real Madrid have already concluded three summer signings, and more business will be done over the coming weeks. And it is not only additions to Xabi Alonso's squad that the club's sporting department are working on. Contracts for existing players are also on the agenda for Real Madrid. Vinicius Junior is expected to sign a new deal in the coming weeks, while it has already been reported that breakout star Raul Asencio has penned an extension. And there is also movement in regards to Thibaut Courtois. Thibaut Courtois reveals he is in talks with Real Madrid Courtois' current deal expires at the end of next season, meaning that there is some jeopardy surrounding his future. But Real Madrid intend to eliminate this by agreeing a new contract, and the man himself has confirmed (via Diario AS) that negotiations are underway between club and player. Advertisement 'I hope I can renew. I'm very happy at Real Madrid, playing here is a dream and every year more, it would be another dream. I am at the total disposal of the club, and they know that I would like to stay here… and hopefully retire here. We are in contact. But now it's time to prove on the pitch. The rest will be easily resolved.' Image via Goal / DAZN Courtois has been ever-present in the Real Madrid goal since he joined from Chelsea in 2018. And he will continue as the club's first-choice goalkeeper under new head coach Xabi Alonso, with him showing no signs of dropping his level despite now being 33 years of age. Advertisement Typically, Real Madrid have offered one-year contracts to players over the age of 30, but with Courtois, it is expected that they will break this rule by offering him a two-year deal – which would take him through out 2028. And given his level, there would be no surprise about this, as it limits the chances of him being poached by another club before Los Blancos are prepared to part ways. For now, Courtois is focused on the Club World Cup, where he will be a key player once again for Real Madrid. But later in the summer, he should agree a new contract to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu for a little while longer.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gossip: Leicester's Soumare wanted by Sevilla
Leicester City midfielder Boubakary Soumare, 26, is on Spanish club Sevilla's list of transfer priorities and could soon sign for the La Liga outfit, having previously spent the 2023-24 season on loan with them. Serie A club Roma and Ligue 1 side Monaco are also monitoring the situation. (Leicester Mercury) Want more transfer news and rumours from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's full gossip column Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport
