Cazorla, 40, sends Oviedo into La Liga play-off final

Eight years aft being told he should beryllium satisfied if he could locomotion again, 40-year-old erstwhile Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla scored nan extremity that put boyhood nine Real Oviedo into nan La Liga play-off final.

The Spaniard came disconnected nan chair astatine half-time pinch his broadside trailing 1-0 to Almeria successful nan play-off semi-final 2nd leg.

Within 4 minutes, nan midfielder scored a free-kick pinch his weaker near ft to put Oviedo 3-2 up connected aggregate.

The 1-1 second-leg tie was capable for Oviedo to scope nan play-off final, wherever they will look either Mirandes aliases Racing Santander.

"I'm conscionable trying to bask what is near of my career, knowing that nan extremity is closer," Cazorla said aft nan game.

"I effort to bask myself, which is nan astir important thing. I was sad that I wouldn't commencement nan crippled but I knew that this crippled was important. I'm happy I was capable to thief nan team."

Cazorla, a two-time European champion pinch Spain, spent six years astatine Arsenal and made 180 appearances earlier leaving successful 2018.

The last 2 years of his clip successful northbound London were plagued pinch injuries.

Cazorla suffered an Achilles wounded successful October 2016, pinch nan midfielder going connected to person 11 operations to cure nan problem.

One of nan operations led to gangrene pinch doctors telling Cazorla he should beryllium satisfied to locomotion again.

However, nan Spaniard pushed to restart his shot profession and he had his Achilles reconstructed, pinch doctors grafting tegument from his near limb - featuring a tattoo - to his correct ankle.

Cazorla spent 2 years astatine La Liga nine Villarreal aft leaving Arsenal successful 2018, earlier a three-year stint successful Qatar.

He re-joined boyhood nine Oviedo successful 2023, taking connected a minimum net successful nan dream of returning nan nine to nan apical formation for nan first clip since 2001.