Arsenal legend, 40, sends club to play-off final with stunning WEAKER-FOOT free kick
Star penned a message to fans after the match
STILL GOT IT
STILL GOT IT Arsenal legend, 40, sends club to play-off final with stunning WEAKER-FOOT free kick
AN Arsenal legend rolled back the years as he fired his boyhood club one step closer to promotion to LaLiga.
Santi Cazorla scored the decisive goal in Real Oviedo's play-off semi-final against Almeria.
4
Santi Cazorla scored a free-kick with his weaker foot
Credit: x @PremSportsTV
4
The goal helped Real Oviedo close in on promotion to LaLiga
Credit: x @PremSportsTV
Oviedo went into the second leg of the tie with a slim advantage thanks to Nacho Vidal's brace in the 2-1 away victory.
However, back at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere, the hosts were pegged back as Gonzalo Melero netted from the spot in the first half.
Cazorla, 40, was presented with an opportunity to restore the aggregate lead in the 49th minute after Oviedo were awarded a free kick just outside the box.
The Spaniard lined up to take the set-piece and struck a sweet shot into the bottom corner with his WEAK FOOT.
READ MORE ARSENAL NEWS
PARTY Arsenal's Raya dresses as air stewardess and serves passengers on Vegas stag do
The midfielder is predominantly right-footed but has trained himself to use his left just as well.
Fans were left in awe on social media as they reacted to Cazorla's goal.
One posted: "With his 'weaker' foot as well."
A second wrote: "Classic Santi, why do something with his right foot when he can do it just as easily with his left God, I miss watching this genius at Arsenal."
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS
A third commented: "Could have hit it with his right foot equally as well as the left. What a player."
A fourth said: "Left foot, right foot - it don't matter."
David Raya reveals Arsenal career changed overnight following two-hour meeting
4
Cazorla spent six years at Arsenal earlier in his career
Credit: Getty
4
He won the FA Cup twice while in North London
Credit: Getty
Another added: "Class is permanent."
It is not the first time that Cazorla has shown off his ability with his weaker foot.
One famous instance was when he switched feet when taking a corner during his time at Arsenal.
Oveido held on to draw the match 1-1 and seal the 3-2 aggregate win in order to set up a play-off final against either Real Racing Club or CD Mirandes.
After the match, Cazorla took to social media to pen a message to the club's fans.
He wrote: "Thank you, thank you, and a million thanks.
"You deserve the best and we will try once more."
Cazorla signed for Arsenal back in 2012 from Malaga, having previously played in the academy of Oviedo between 1996 and 2003.
He made 180 appearances for the Gunners and scored 29 goals and provided 44 assists.
He left North London in 2018 and spent two years at Villarreal before a three-year stint with Al-Sadd in Qatar.
Cazorla made his emotional return to Oviedo in 2023 on an initial one-year contract.
He is paid the minimum of £80,000 a year, having originally tried to play for the club for FREE.
He has overcome multiple injuries to continue his career into his forties.
He played with a cracked bone during an international friendly between Spain and Chile in 2013.
In 2016, he underwent surgery on the damaged ankle but was struck with an infection, further complicating his recovery.
This would, unfortunately, become a running theme for Cazorla, who endured a number of reopened wounds, gangrene and bacterial infections.
One such infection had eaten away at his Achilles tendon, spreading to the bone and putting him in danger of losing his leg.
Since his original injury, Cazorla had a total of 10 operations including one skin-graft procedure which removed flesh from his left forearm removing his tattoo dedicated to his daughter India.
Cazorla's career
Villarreal
330 games, 57 goals, 57 assists
Arsenal
180 games, 29 goals, 45 assists, 2x FA Cups, 2x Community Shield
Al Sadd
97 games, 39 goals, 36 assists, 2x Qatar league titles, 2x Qatar Cup
Malaga
42 games, 9 goals, 8 assists
Recreativo Huelva
34 games, 5 goals, 0 assists
Real Oviedo
59 games, 3 goals, 9 assists
Spanish National Team
81 games, 15 goals, 11 assists, 2x European Championships
Join SUN CLUB for the Arsenal Files every Friday plus
in-depth coverage and exclusives from The Emirates
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
9 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Ex-Man Utd star, 35, ‘set for late Club World Cup call-up after team-mate denied US visa due to burglary charges'
Boca face Bayern, Benfica and Auckland City in the upcoming tournament BOCA BLOW Ex-Man Utd star, 35, 'set for late Club World Cup call-up after team-mate denied US visa due to burglary charges' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MARCOS ROJO is set to be an unlikely starter at the Club World Cup - after his teammate was rejected for a US visa. The former Manchester United defender currently plays for Boca Juniors in Argentina. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 Marcos Rojo is set to feature prominently for Boca Juniors at the Club World Cup Credit: AP 4 The defender spent seven seasons at Manchester United Credit: Getty 4 Rojo's teammate Ayrton Costa (left) has been denied entry into the USA Credit: Reuters Rojo, 35, joined the club in 2021 after leaving Old Trafford. He had been expected to sit out most of the upcoming tournament, with Ayrton Costa preferred at centre-back. But Costa has been denied entry into the United States just days before the competition begins. Boca flew into their Miami training camp on Sunday without the 25-year-old. READ MORE ON MAN UTD GET IT DON Sancho at centre of three-way Prem transfer war as Chelsea line up Man U pal Costa was denied a visa by the US Embassy, according to ESPN. He was involved in an attempted robbery case in Bernal, Argentina, in 2018. The case involved transporting stolen goods in a vehicle, per Mundo Deportivo. In 2023, Costa was granted probation to avoid a trial over the incident. BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK Costa was also involved in another case linked to the alleged concealment of a femicide. The defender was named in court documents but never charged. Bayern Munich leave in new kit for Club World Cup With Costa confirmed out, Rojo is now Miguel Angel Russo's only option on the left side of Boca's defence. Boca will compete in Group C in the revamped 32-team tournament. They are joined by Bayern Munich, Auckland City and Benfica. 4 Rojo began his career at Estudiantes, where he won the Copa Libertadores in 2009. He enjoyed spells with Spartak Moscow and Sporting Lisbon before arriving at Man Utd in 2014. Rojo spent seven seasons in the North West, playing 122 times and scoring twice. He returned to Argentina in 2021, having won the FA Cup, Europa League and Carabao Cup.
Daily Mail
10 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Gabriel Magalhaes urges Arsenal to pursue summer move for Real Madrid 'phenomenon' Rodrygo as Brazil team-mate's future remains uncertain
Arsenal should step up their attempts to sign Real Madrid star Rodrygo this summer, according to his Brazil team-mate Gabriel Magalhaes. Rodrygo has emerged as a top target for the Gunners, who are looking to add firepower to a team that has finished second in the Premier League three seasons running. A new striker is the priority but a versatile attacking player is also wanted by manager Mikel Arteta. Rodrygo put big clubs across Europe on alert when he reportedly told Madrid he never wanted to play for them again having refused to feature in last month's El Clasico against Barcelona. The Brazilian winger was said to be upset about playing a secondary role behind superstar team-mates Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellingham, and was increasingly warming the bench under Carlo Ancelotti last season. Los Blancos would demand a significant fee if they are to part ways with Rodrygo, believed to be somewhere in the region of £70m. And Gabriel thinks his compatriot would be more than worth the money for the gunners. 'I don't know,' he responded when asked by the Podpah Podcast if Rodrygo would be arriving at the Emirates this summer. 'But I'd like obviously. He's a phenomenon. 'I've told people already, he's a phenomenon! If it was up to me, of course!' Rodrygo has developed into an integral player for Madrid since joining from Brazilian side Santos for €45million (£37.9m) in 2019. The forward, who has also won 33 caps for Brazil, may have a lower profile than fellow attackers Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jnr, yet he still has a hugely impressive record at the Bernabeu.
Metro
28 minutes ago
- Metro
The Club World Cup is finally here - but who is it really for?
After dislocating his shoulder towards the end of 2023, Jude Bellingham has been playing through the pain and aided by strapping protection. The Real Madrid midfielder is finally set to undergo surgery in the off-season to ensure his shoulder heals properly, but will be sidelined for up to 12 weeks as part of his recovery. New boss Xabi Alonso surely wants his talismanic midfielder back as early as possible next season as the Spaniard looks to mount a challenge on defending league champions Barcelona. Real, however, have decided otherwise, preferring Bellingham to play through the pain for a few weeks longer at the upcoming Club World Cup to try and help his side become the first winners of the new, expanded tournament. Such a decision is evidence enough of the divisive nature of FIFA's latest brainchild. Spearheaded by current president Gianni Infantino, the revamped Club World Cup was not something clubs asked for. Fans and players certainly didn't either. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. But as the 64-game tournament gets underway in the United States, the waters of opposition have undoubtedly become muddied, and a new reality appears to have emerged. After a hectic season of club football, which included an expanded Champions League, few of Europe's top players appear keen to shorten their summers further by playing in the Club World Cup. 'We players would love to have some holidays, and some time for our bodies to rest,' Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji, a vocal critic of the tournament, recently said. 'My City teammates are not exactly overjoyed about the tournament either. But it's now right in our faces, and there is nothing we can do about it. 'If we take part, then of course we want to win it. But if we reach the final, then the time period for us to recover ahead of the new season will become even shorter.' While not everyone has been so forthright, Akanji is not alone. Earlier in the season, fellow City star Rodri said players may consider strike action over fixture congestion. Many more have privately expressed concerns. 'When I speak to PFA members who are playing in the Premier League, in Europe and for their country, fixture congestion is the number one issue they raise,' Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Maheta Molango told Metro last November. 'Those players know how privileged they are to be in that position, but there are physical limits to how far they can be pushed. Right now, they are in a situation where they are essentially part of a year-round football calendar; it never stops. We're starting to hit a tipping point because they are not robots.' Players may not be universally keen on taking part, and it appears that the reception from fans has been similarly mixed. Sluggish ticket sales could see as many as 45,000 empty seats for the tournament's opening fixture between Lionel Messi's Inter Miami and Al Ahly. Sales for games involving high-profile European sides have fared better, while South American teams are expected to travel in their numbers for a chance to see their teams as well as ageing stars such as Messi and Luis Suarez in action. But many fixtures involving lesser-known teams from further afield seem destined to take place against the half-empty backdrop of vast US stadiums. That mixed reception has also manifested itself in the TV coverage. FIFA found itself initially unable to shift broadcasting rights before DAZN took them off the governing bodies' hands for a remarkable $1billion (£787million) figure. The not-so-subtle $1bn investment in DAZN from Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund weeks later may also explain where the funding for the bid came from and what FIFA is hoping to achieve off the field of play with this competition. But while players and many fans appear apathetic, most clubs appear to have embraced the opportunity that the revamped format has offered with both hands. For smaller clubs, the exposure and opportunity to test their mettle against Europe's best might be considered reward enough. But for the tournament's bigger sides, the financial upside is likely the most eye-catching element. FIFA's rankings will grant Europe's top-ranked sides £29.6m just for participating, with a potential £97m on offer should they win all their group-stage games and then the entire tournament. On top of a participation fee, clubs will receive prize money as follows: Group Stages : £1.5m for a win and £800,000 for a draw : £1.5m for a win and £800,000 for a draw Round of 16 : £5.8m : £5.8m Quarter-Final : £10.1m : £10.1m Semi-Final : £16.2m : £16.2m Runners-up : £23.2m : £23.2m Winner: £30.0m Perhaps then, it's no surprise that Real were happy to spend £10m for Trent Alexander-Arnold's early release from Liverpool in time for the tournament. There are, of course, downsides. Playing a tournament during the transfer window will surely complicate summer recruitment, let alone pre-season. England boss Thomas Tuchel has already suggested that Arsenal and Liverpool will have an advantage over Chelsea and Manchester City in the league next year due to the latter two's participation in the Club World Cup. More Trending But in an era of more stringent financial regulation and PSR rules, the opportunity to bank nearly £100m from just seven games' work is far too alluring. The second edition of the revamped tournament won't take place until 2029, but reports suggest that Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United – as well as a host of other top European clubs – are keen to see the tournament expanded to ensure they can share in the future financial benefits. None of that should come as much of a surprise – many of these clubs happily signed up to the Super League before its quick demise. Perhaps now the Club World Cup is seen as the next-best option. Players may not be keen, football's vast fanbase may still be unconvinced, but clubs and their owners appear to be all in. For now, that might be all that matters. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Chelsea identify defender with £67million release clause as key transfer target MORE: Arsenal respond to rejected Viktor Gyokeres bid as Manchester United submit rival offer MORE: Manchester United begin talks to sign £84m Chelsea target
