Real Oviedo clinched a spot in the playoff final by eliminating UD Almería in the previous round. After a four-game winless streak, the team replaced Javier Calleja with Veljko Paunović in March. Real Oviedo then went on a 10-game unbeaten streak to finish third in the LALIGA HYPERMOTION table, gaining strong momentum heading into the playoffs. A Nacho Vidal brace away at UD Almería allowed Los Carbayones to grab a 2-1 victory in the first leg of the semi-finals. However, the Andalusian side started strong in the return fixture, with Gonzalo Melero opening the scoring from the spot midway through the first half. Santi Cazorla came off the bench at halftime to make history for his boyhood club, becoming the oldest player to score in a promotion playoff at 40 years and 180 days old.
Real Oviedo aims to return to LALIGA EA SPORTS for the first time since the 2000/01 campaign. They will look to extend their 12-match unbeaten streak in the upcoming two-legged tie against CD Mirandés. However, the Asturians have beaten Los Rojillos just once in the last five games between the two teams (1W, 1D, 3L). That victory came earlier this season, on Matchday 11, when Real Oviedo defeated CD Mirandés 4-1 on home soil.
CD Mirandés, based in Miranda de Ebro, a northern Spanish town of just 36,000 inhabitants, aims to make history by securing what would be the first ever top-flight promotion in the club’s history. A six-game unbeaten run allowed CD Mirandés to finish fourth in the table with a club-record 75 points. Lisci’s team carried their momentum into the playoff semi-finals, getting off to a solid start in the first leg against Real Racing Club. With goals from Urko Izeta and Hugo Rincón, CD Mirandés took a two-goal lead on the road. However, the hosts pulled one back and equalised in the second half.
CD Mirandés sealed their spot in the playoff final with a 4-1 victory in the return leg, netting three times in a space of seven minutes after the break. With both sides pushing for a much-coveted spot in LALIGA EA SPORTS, the upcoming playoff final promises to captivate Spanish football fans from all over the world.
