Real Oviedo has finally ended a 24-year wait to return to La Liga, securing a thrilling 3-2 aggregate victory over Mirandes in the Segunda División promotion play-off final on June 21, 2025. The decisive second leg, held at the packed Estadio Nuevo Carlos Tartiere, saw Oviedo overturn a first-leg deficit with a 3-1 win that sent their passionate supporters into jubilation.
The first leg, played earlier in the week, had seen Mirandes take a narrow 1-0 lead, setting the stage for a tense second encounter. Mirandes struck early in the second leg to double their aggregate advantage. Sixteen minutes in, an excellent cross from Iker Benito found Joaquin Panichelli, who headed the ball back across goal and into the far corner, marking his 21st Segunda goal of the season and silencing the home crowd.
However, Oviedo’s fortunes turned just before halftime. The hometown hero, 40-year-old Santi Cazorla, stepped up to convert a penalty after a handball was spotted during one of Oviedo’s corner kicks. His calm finish leveled the score at 1-1 on the night and halved the aggregate deficit, reigniting hope for the Asturian side.
Cazorla’s influence was more than symbolic. The former Spain international, who began his career at Oviedo’s academy in 1996 and rejoined the club in 2023 after a spell in Qatar, has been a talismanic figure for the team. Despite enduring a harrowing injury saga that included ten operations and a severe bacterial infection that cost him a significant portion of his Achilles tendon and ankle bone, Cazorla’s determination never waned. His return to Oviedo was driven by pure love for the club, even expressing a willingness to play for the minimum wage mandated by league rules.
Seven minutes into the second half, Oviedo seized the initiative. Girona loanee Ilyas Chaira fired home from inside the penalty area, leveling the aggregate score at 2-2. This goal shifted the momentum firmly in Oviedo’s favor. The tie remained delicately poised, as a draw on aggregate would have seen Oviedo promoted due to their higher finish in the Segunda table. Still, neither side was willing to settle for extra time.
The match escalated in intensity, with Oviedo coach Veljko Paunovic making tactical adjustments to maintain control. He introduced Alemao and De la Hoz for injured Fede Vinas and Cazorla, while switching to a five-man defense to absorb Mirandes’ pressure. Mirandes, desperate to regain the advantage, came close to equalizing when Panichelli’s powerful header was spectacularly tipped just wide by Oviedo goalkeeper Aaron Escandell.
Despite Mirandes’ late dominance, the game went into extra time with the aggregate score tied. The decisive moment came in the 103rd minute when 35-year-old winger Francisco Portillo unleashed a sensational volley into the top corner, giving Oviedo a 3-1 lead on the night and 3-2 on aggregate. That strike effectively sealed the promotion, sending the Estadio Nuevo Carlos Tartiere into a frenzy as fans stormed the pitch in celebration.
Late in the game, tensions boiled over with red cards shown to Oviedo’s David Costas and Mirandes’ Unai Eguiluz, but the result was no longer in doubt. Oviedo’s return to La Liga was confirmed, ending a painful 24-year absence from Spain’s top flight.
This promotion marks a new chapter for Real Oviedo, a club that has endured relegations down to the fourth division and a decade-long ownership under Grupo Carso, led by Carlos Slim. Since July 2022, Mexican conglomerate Grupo Pachuca, headed by Jesús Martínez, has taken majority control, helping to steer the club back to prominence.
Coach Veljko Paunovic praised his players after the match, telling LaLiga TV, “There’s no way to describe what this means to us. These players are heroes, every single one of them. They deserve great recognition.”
The club will join Levante and Elche in next season’s La Liga, replacing relegated sides Leganes, Las Palmas, and Valladolid, and will look to build on this momentum with a squad bolstered by experienced leaders and emerging talents.
Santi Cazorla’s fairytale swansong has captured hearts far beyond Asturias. His journey from Oviedo’s academy to La Liga stardom with Villarreal, Malaga, and Arsenal, and back to his roots after overcoming debilitating injuries, is a testament to resilience and passion. With 29 goals in 180 appearances for Arsenal, two FA Cups, and 81 caps for Spain—including successive European Championships—Cazorla’s legacy is secure. Whether he will continue for another season in La Liga remains uncertain, as he battles daily discomfort from his past surgeries. He has hinted at a future coaching role at Arsenal, where he remains warmly welcomed.
For now, Real Oviedo’s fans can revel in a historic achievement. The promotion is more than a sporting success; it’s a revival of pride and hope for a club and city that have waited patiently for their place among Spain’s elite. The celebrations that erupted at the final whistle were a fitting tribute to a team that refused to give up, led by heroes like Cazorla, Chaira, and Portillo, and guided by a steady hand in Paunovic.
As the dust settles on this remarkable campaign, Real Oviedo’s return to La Liga stands as a vivid reminder of football’s enduring power to inspire, unite, and transform.
