** After 24 years of waiting, Oviedo finally moves up to La Liga **

Real Oviedo

Two names have been key in this feat: Santi Cazorla and Veljko Paunovic. The former, a legend of Spanish football, returned to his hometown club at the age of 38, earning the minimum wage and waiving his image rights to help the youth academy. After an initial failed attempt, he decided to renew and keep fighting. This year, at 40, he has been crucial: he scored in the semifinals against Almería and also in the grand final, leading the team on and off the pitch.

The latter, Paunovic, was a risky bet. He arrived as the coach with 10 rounds to go after the dismissal of Javi Calleja and transformed the team: six wins and one draw at home, a solid block, and a plan that culminated in promotion. As a curiosity, *he was a player for Oviedo in the club's last season in La Liga 24 years ago*.

This promotion represents not only a sporting milestone, but also an *emotional* one. It is the reward for the effort of a club with a loyal fanbase, a rich history, and a spirit that never gives up. And now, hand in hand with its legends, it finally returns to the place it feels is theirs: La Liga.

With Oviedo, the 20 teams that will form the next season of La Liga are now complete.