Return to La Liga on the horizon: Cazorla fires boyhood club into the final

Real Oviedo played to a 1-1 draw against UD Almería in the second leg of their La Liga promotion play-off semi-final, sealing a 3-2 aggregate victory and booking their place in the final.

It was a night of drama, emotion, and history at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere and right at the heart of it was a name etched deep into the soul of the club: Santi Cazorla.

At 40 years old and 18 days, Cazorla wrote yet another remarkable chapter in his illustrious career by scoring the decisive goal of the tie. Coming off the bench early in the second half, the veteran midfielder needed just a few minutes to deliver what may go down as one of the most iconic goals in Oviedo’s modern history. A beautifully struck free-kick, bent around the wall with signature precision, sent the home crowd into delirium and tilted the aggregate score firmly in Oviedo’s favor. With that goal, Cazorla became the oldest goalscorer in the history of the La Liga promotion play-offs a record unlikely to be broken anytime soon.

But the story goes far beyond just one goal. Cazorla’s journey back to Real Oviedo is one of loyalty, unfinished dreams, and a deep emotional connection to the club where it all began. A product of the Oviedo academy, Cazorla made his name as a bright young talent before moving on to Villarreal, Málaga, Arsenal, and later Al-Sadd in Qatar. Along the way, he won two European Championships with Spain, dazzled Premier League fans with his creativity and two-footed brilliance, and overcame career-threatening injuries that might have ended the careers of lesser players.

In 2012, while enjoying the peak of his career, Cazorla showed his bond with Oviedo was unbreakable. The club, on the verge of collapse and facing bankruptcy, received a lifeline in the form of financial support from several former players Cazorla among the most generous. He donated a significant amount of his own money, not for recognition, but because he couldn’t stand to see the club where he grew up disappear.

Fast forward to 2023, and after nearly two decades away, Cazorla returned not as a symbolic gesture, but as a registered player a 39-year-old who still had the vision, passing range, and footballing brain to make a difference. Most assumed he would take on a mentoring role or be used sparingly, but Cazorla defied all expectations. Week after week, he quietly became a central figure in Oviedo’s promotion charge, contributing on the pitch with goals and assists and off the pitch with leadership, composure, and inspiration.

This season, Real Oviedo finished third in the Segunda División, just two points shy of automatic promotion. Their league campaign was marked by discipline, consistency, and an increasingly potent attack. In the play-off semi-finals, they were drawn against sixth-placed Almería a team with top-flight experience and plenty of individual talent. Oviedo took a huge step toward the final with a 2-1 win in the first leg away from home, but the return match proved far more complicated.

In front of a packed Estadio Carlos Tartiere, nerves were palpable. Almería struck first, levelling the aggregate score when Gonzalo Melero converted a penalty midway through the first half. With the away goal advantage in play, Oviedo’s hopes began to wobble. But manager Luis Carrión had an ace up his sleeve. Early in the second half, he turned to Cazorla and the rest is history.

As Cazorla lined up the free-kick that would define the tie, the stadium fell silent. Seconds later, it erupted. The ball curled beyond the wall and past the helpless goalkeeper, restoring Oviedo’s aggregate lead and shifting the emotional tide back in their favor. For many fans, it was a surreal moment seeing their childhood idol, now 40, rescue the club he loved with the same elegance he displayed two decades earlier.

Now, Real Oviedo finds itself on the cusp of a return to La Liga for the first time since the 2000–01 season. The journey back has been long and full of hardship. The club has dropped as low as the third tier and battled financial ruin, but through perseverance and a fan base that never gave up, Oviedo is 90 minutes away from rejoining Spain’s elite.

Their opponent in the final will be either CD Mirandés or Racing Santander. The first leg between those two sides ended in a thrilling 3-3 draw, and the decisive second leg will be played on Thursday evening. Whichever team advances will have to contend with a Real Oviedo side full of belief, momentum, and most importantly led by a living legend who continues to defy time.

Should Oviedo win promotion, it would be a fairy-tale ending not just to their season, but to Cazorla’s career should he choose to retire. Yet those who have followed his story know better than to assume he’s done. For Cazorla, every game is another chance to play the sport he loves, for the club he never forgot.