Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla kick-started a dramatic comeback as Actual Oviedo gained the La Liga 2 play-off last to return to the Spanish prime flight after a 24-year absence.
40-year-old Cazorla – who returned to his boyhood membership in 2023 – transformed a penalty late within the first half of Saturday’s second leg along with his facet 2-0 down on mixture to CD Mirandes.
Commercial
Oviedo levelled the tie within the second half by means of Ilyas Chaira earlier than Francisco Portillo scored a shocking winner in extra-time to safe promotion.
Cazorla claimed the decisive aim within the play-off semi-final tie in opposition to Almeria, coming off the bench to and safe a 3-2 mixture victory.
Cazorla was a product of Oviedo’s academy, however was compelled to go away the membership in 2003 when monetary points decimated the membership’s youth system and noticed the primary crew re-enter within the third tier.
When Oviedo confronted one other disaster a decade later, Cazorla was certainly one of 1000’s of followers and former gamers who bought shares within the membership to maintain it alive.
Commercial
A two-time European champion with Spain, the midfielder spent six years at Arsenal and made 180 appearances earlier than leaving in 2018.
He suffered an Achilles damage in October 2016, happening to have 11 operations to remedy the issue.
One of many operations led to gangrene with docs telling Cazorla he ought to be happy to stroll once more, by no means thoughts play.