Fairytale Comes True! Santi Cazorla Guides His Boyhood Club to La Liga After 24 Years
Santi Cazorla led Real Oviedo to a 3-1 win in the La Liga 2 play-off final, securing their return to the Spanish top flight after 24 years.
Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla kick-started a dramatic comeback as Real Oviedo won the La Liga 2 play-off final to return to the Spanish top flight after a 24-year absence.
Oviedo triumphed 3-1 at home, overturning a first-leg deficit with goals from Santi Cazorla, Ilyas Chaira, and Francisco Portillo. A packed Estadio Carlos Tartiere erupted as fans stormed the pitch at the final whistle.
The club from the Principality of Asturias, in the northwest of Spain, will now join Levante and Elche in next season's top tier, replacing relegated Leganes, Las Palmas, and Valladolid.
'There's no way to describe what this means to us. These players are heroes, every single one of them. They deserve great recognition," Oviedo coach Veljko Paunovic told LaLiga TV.
Fairytale For Cazorla
40-year-old Cazorla – who returned to his boyhood club in 2023 – converted a penalty late in the first half of Saturday's second leg with his side 2-0 down on aggregate to CD Mirandes.
Oviedo levelled the tie in the second half through Ilyas Chaira before Francisco Portillo scored a stunning winner in extra time to secure promotion.
Cazorla claimed the decisive goal in the play-off semi-final tie against Almeria, coming off the bench to convert a free-kick and secure a 3-2 aggregate victory.
Cazorla was a product of Oviedo's academy, but was forced to leave the club in 2003 when financial issues decimated the club's youth system and saw the first team re-enter the third tier.
top videos
View All
When Oviedo faced another crisis a decade later, Cazorla was one of thousands of fans and former players who purchased shares in the club to keep it alive.
(with agency inputs)
About the Author
Siddarth Sriram
First Published:
June 22, 2025, 13:15 IST
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
25 minutes ago
- First Post
Watch: Fight erupts in England-Spain U-21 Euro quarter-final, with players having to be dragged off pitch
The Anton Malatinsky Stadium in Trnava, Slovakia witnessed heated scenes on the pitch after England defeated Spain 3-1 in the quarter-finals of the ongoing U-21 European Championship, with coaches from both teams and match officials having to separate players. read more English and Spanish players fight at the end of their U-21 Euro quarter-final at the Anton Malatinsky Stadium, in Trnava, Slovakia on Saturday, 21 June. AP War broke out between England and Spain on the football pitch during a heated U-21 European Championship match in Slovakia on Saturday in which players ended up getting physical with one another and had to be dragged out of the ground. The shocking incident took place during the quarter-final meeting between the two nations at the Anton Malatinsky Stadium in Trnava, Slovakia, which England won 3-1 to book a semi-final meeting with Netherlands. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Tempers got the better of players from the two teams shortly after the full-time whistle, with England's on-field celebrations apparently getting the Spaniards even more worked up. Among the players caught in battle were defender Charlie Cresswell, who had to be held back from Spanish striker and former Leeds teammate Mateo Joseph. More from Football On-field scuffle leads to red-card Napoli centre-back Rafa Marin was later shown the red card for his part on the scuffle even though he played no part in the game. Manchester City midfielder James McAtee, who scored the first goal of the game, also received a booking. Watch the incident unfold here: England through after beating Spain 3-1 in Trnava, and it seems it got a little too much for some at the end here. #EUROU21 — Josh Donaldson (@Josh_Don) June 21, 2025 'It was always going to happen because of the passion from both teams,' Liverpool's Harvey Elliott, who was also among the goalscorers, told Channel 4 after the match. 'It is one of those where I was trying to calm everyone down. End of the day, we have got everything to lose. 'They don't, they can get players sent off. We can't lose players for the semi-final,' the attacking midfielder added. Harvey Elliott scored as England booked their spot in the #U21EURO semi-finals 🎯 Jarell Quansah and Tyler Morton also featured in the 3-1 win over Spain 🙌 — Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 22, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Coaches from both teams and match officials had to get involved in order to separate the warring players. 'I think there are better ways to build camaraderie! But I think we had something similar in the final (two years ago),' England coach Lee Carsley said after the game. 'Emotions run very high and in those kinds of scenarios you don't want anyone to get sent off, anyone to throw a punch or get themselves in trouble,' he added. England are two matches away from winning back-to-back U-21 European titles, having won the previous edition in 2023. And incidentally, they had also defeated Spain, by a 1-0 margin, in the final of the previous edition.
Hindustan Times
33 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Ex-Spain and Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla, 40, leads Oviedo back to the top flight in Spain
MADRID — With veteran Santi Cazorla leading the way 20 years after he left the club, Oviedo made it back to the first division of the Spanish league. HT Image The club owned by Mexico's Grupo Pachuca since 2022 secured its return to the top flight with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Mirandes in the final of the promotion playoffs on Saturday night. After a 1-0 first-leg loss, it won 3-1 in extra time with Cazorla scoring one of the goals. Cazorla, the former Spain and Arsenal playmaker, converted a 39th-minute penalty for Oviedo, which sealed its promotion for the first time since the 2000-01 season thanks to Francisco Portillo's goal in extra time after erasing the first-leg deficit with a 2-1 win in regulation. Oviedo, coached by former Serbian player Veljko Paunovic since March, had been in the second division since 2015-16, and spent a few seasons in the third tier before that. 'At 40 years old I think this is the greatest thing I've ever experienced,' Cazorla said. 'I've been lucky enough to experience great things with Spain and with the clubs that I've been with, winning many trophies, but nothing compares to this.' Oviedo, based in northwestern Spain, is Cazorla's boyhood club. He rejoined Oviedo in 2023 after playing in Qatar. 'I have a special feeling for this club,' Cazorla said. 'I played in this youth academy when I was 9 years old. I grew up here, I have my friends, my family. I'll be an Oviedo fan all my life. This makes it very special.' Cazorla, who dealt with serious injuries throughout his career, also thrived with Villarreal in Spain. He was a major contributor for Arsenal under Arsene Wenger from 2012-18. Grupo Pachuca recently made headlines as two of its clubs in Mexico, Leon and Pachuca, qualified for the Club World Cup but only Pachuca was allowed to compete because of regulations around multi-club ownership. Mirandes, based in northern Spain, was trying to make it to the first division for the first time. soccer: /hub/soccer This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Olympo ending explained and Season 2 theories explored: What's next for the Netflix's Spanish sports drama?
Netflix's Spanish sports thriller Olympo ends its first season with a chilling and unforgettable finale, leaving fans stunned and full of questions. Set in an elite Olympic training facility, the series exposes the dark truths behind ambition, performance enhancement, and personal sacrifice. As the last episode fades out with Amaia collapsing in the pool and Zoe walking away with damning evidence, it's clear the story is just beginning. Here's a breakdown of the ending, what it really means, and what fans might expect in Olympo Season 2. What is Olympo about? Olympo is a sharp critique of power, exploitation, and the pressure to succeed at any cost. Set in a fictional high-performance centre for Olympic hopefuls, the series follows athletes who are unknowingly used as test subjects for a powerful doping program masked as elite training. Blending sports drama with psychological tension, Olympo dives into personal trauma, institutional abuse, and moral ambiguity — all wrapped in the shiny packaging of Olympic dreams. With its stylish visuals and unflinching storytelling, the show has positioned itself as one of Netflix's most gripping sports thrillers. Olympo ending explained: Amaia's collapse and Zoe's escape The final episode of Season 1 centres around Amaia (Clara Galle), the artistic swimmer who's been under constant pressure from her mother, the institution, and her own desire to succeed. After uncovering the doping conspiracy within the Olympo training program, she initially resists. But when her efforts to alert the anti-doping agency fail and tests come back clean, Amaia gives in and takes the drug herself. Her flawless performance at the Olympic trials is a victory tainted by moral compromise. Moments later, she collapses in the pool, symbolising everything she's sacrificed. In contrast, Zoe (Nira Osahia) makes a different choice. After escaping the facility, she steals a vial of the experimental drug and hands it to the authorities. Her quiet defiance positions her as a major threat to Olympo's future and the face of resistance going into Season 2. Will there be a season 2 of Olympo? While fans are already forming theories, it's important to remember that Netflix hasn't greenlit a second season yet. However, the many twists and turns in Season 1 — including Amaia's collapse, Zoe's bold move, and the unresolved fate of Olympo's secrets — strongly hint that the story was designed with a continuation in mind. The series's strong reception and growing online buzz could influence Netflix's renewal decision in the coming months. Olympo Season 2 theories: Who exposes Olympo? Will Amaia return? With the finale raising more questions than it answers, fans are already speculating about what could happen next: Olympo faces exposure: With Zoe's drug sample in the hands of the anti-doping agency, the investigation may finally begin. But will it be enough to take down a brand as powerful as Olympo? Amaia's fate: Amaia's collapse could lead to serious health complications or a deeper spiral into the world she once tried to escape. Some fans think she may turn against Olympo after realising the cost. Athlete rebellion: With Cristian, Roque, and possibly others growing more aware of the system's corruption, a collective pushback could be coming. More secrets: If the drugs were only the surface-level scandal, Season 2 might dig into how far the control and cover-ups really go — including media manipulation, threats, or even political ties. Will Fatima and Charly end up together? One of the fan-favourite dynamics is between Fatima and Charly, who shared a subtle but emotionally grounded connection. Fatima's calm, introspective nature balances Charly's impulsive intensity. As both characters are caught in their own battles within the system, their bond might deepen in Season 2, especially if they stand on the same side of the coming conflict. However, some fans believe the chaos ahead could pull them apart. Will they support each other through the fallout, or will their personal goals and loyalties get in the way? Either way, their relationship is likely to become more central next season.
