Latest news with #LaLiga2
News18
20 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
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
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Cazorla scores as Oviedo return to La Liga
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.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 levelled the tie in the second half through Ilyas Chaira before Francisco Portillo scored a stunning winner in extra-time to secure 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 in the third 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.A two-time European champion with Spain, the midfielder spent six years at Arsenal and made 180 appearances before leaving in suffered an Achilles injury in October 2016, going on to have 11 operations to cure the of the operations led to gangrene with doctors telling Cazorla he should be satisfied to walk again, never mind play.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
La Masia product breaks silence after Barcelona exit – ‘Looking forward to a change of scenery'
Earlier today, FC Barcelona confirmed that promising La Masia midfielder Aleix Garrido has left the club after spending 13 seasons. The 21-year-old prospect was the captain of the Barça Atletic this season but could not help them avoid relegation from the RFEF Primera Division. Advertisement With Garrido's contract expiring on June 30, the youngster, who made his first-team debut for Barcelona in 2023 under Xavi Hernandez, decided to move onto a new challenge. As such, having left Barcelona for free, the La Masia product has signed for Eibar in La Liga 2, penning a three-year contract. Aleix Garrido opens up after exit Following his move to Eibar from Barcelona, Garrido has now opened up on what this move means for his career. 'For me, it's a big change because I've been at Barça for many years. It's the end of a chapter and I'm looking forward to a change of scenery and to experience football much more professionally and to wear this shirt,' Garrido said. Continuing, the 21-year-old starlet added: 'The second division is something I haven't played in yet and it motivates me a lot to develop myself as a footballer. Eibar is a perfect place. Advertisement 'I'm happy, I'm happy to join this family. It's going to be a great year and I'm motivated, I'm keen to get out of my comfort zone.' Garrido has struggled with several physical issues over the past two seasons, particularly with a metatarsal injury. As such, he saw his chances of breaking into the first team as extremely limited. In fact, Hansi Flick did not call him up to the first team even once during this campaign, instead turning to younger players like Guille Fernandez, Toni Fernandez, and Unai Hernandez. The 21-year-old prospect, thus, will be hoping to hit the ground running and live up to his potential after joining Eibar.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Former Gunner scores free-kick with ‘weak foot'
Santi Cazorla scored a vital free-kick with his supposed 'weak' foot on Wednesday night, sending boyhood club Real Oviedo through to the La Liga promotion play-off final. Photo via Cazorla on Instagram Seven years after leaving Arsenal and at the age of 40, Santi Cazorla continues to play a regular role for Real Oviedo in the Spanish second tier. Advertisement The former Gunner has made 34 appearances for Oviedo this season, including 25 starts. But it was in a substitute appearance in midweek that he scored his most important goal since signing for the club. Photo via Cazorla on Instagram Having finished third in La Liga 2, Oviedo are currently playing in the promotion play-offs for the chance to rejoin the top tier of Spanish football. Taking on UD Almeria in the semi-final, Cazorla played 82 minutes of a 2-1 win in the first leg, but he came on at half-time of Wednesday's second leg with his team 1-0 down – level at 2-2 on aggregate. Just a few minutes into his substitute showing, the Spanish international won a free-kick, and he stepped up to score it with his 'weaker' left foot. View Tweet Photo via Cazorla on Instagram Arsenal fans will be well aware that Cazorla doesn't really have a weak foot, but he does generally have a preference for using his right. Gunners supporters will recall his iconic right-footed free-kick to get their team back in the mix in the 2014 FA Cup final. Advertisement So to take on an important free-kick with his left just shows the confidence the player has on both sides. Oviedo ended up drawing the match 1-1, sending them through to the play-off final 3-2 on aggregate. The team will face either Mirandes or Racing de Santander in the play-off final, depending on the winner of their semi.
The National
29-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Mark Warburton sends Davide Ancelotti stern Rangers warning
The Italian has served as assistant to his legendary father, Carlo, over the past few years at Napoli, Bayern Munich, Everton and Real Madrid. Read more: Warburton, who was in charge at Ibrox between 2015 and 2017, thinks becoming a number one would be quite the jump: "It would be a big job for him," he said [Sky Sports]. "Full respect in terms of where he's worked, the type of games he's been involved in with his father, who's one of the best of all time. "It's very different being number one. There's no lack of respect on my part, but just an appreciation of the number one job at Ibrox. It's a very demanding crowd, which is fantastic. A huge history. "It's a big step up to that number one role. I'm sure he'll find that very challenging. "When I went there, David Weir made me very aware of the expectation. To go in there, you have to understand the public demand for success." It comes with La Liga 2 side Deportivo La Coruna reportedly interested in bringing Ancelotti to the club. Estadio Deportivo claims the 35-year-old has an offer from Rangers, but that La Coruna have also expressed an interest in his services. It remains to be seen where Ancelotti may end up, or who will take the reins at Ibrox this summer.
