SANTI CAZORLA led the Real Oviedo party as they celebrated promotion to La Liga with an open-top bus parade.
The legend was integral to his boyhood club’s playoff effort as he spearheaded a stunning comeback from 2-0 down on aggregate to win 3-2 after extra time.
The city was awash with blue as thousands of jubilant supporters lined the streets in club colours to see their heroes.
Blue flares and banners were seen all over as the party carried on well after the sun had set.
, 40, hailed the achievement of returning the club to the top flight for the first time in 24 years as the greatest of his career.
He said: “At 40, I think this is the greatest thing I’ve ever experienced.
“I’ve been lucky enough to experience great things with and with the clubs that I’ve been with, winning many trophies — but nothing compares to this.”;
The classy midfielder has earned numerous titles across his playing career, including two European Cups with Spain in 2008 and 2012 and two FA Cups with Arsenal.
Following a 1-0 defeat away to Mirandes in the first leg, Cazorla scored from the penalty spot late in the first half of the second leg to give his side belief they could make their top-flight dream a reality.
And that they did, when Ilyas Chaira took them into extra time before Francisco Portillo scored the winner in the 103rd minute.
but was forced to leavein 2003 when financial issues decimated their youth system and saw the first team end up in the third tier.
But when the northern outfit faced another crisis a decade later, Cazorla was one of thousands of fans and ex-players who purchased shares to keep the club alive.
The midfielder — who also starred for — spent six years at Arsenal and  made a total of 180 appearances before leaving in 2018.
He suffered an Achilles injury in 2016 and was forced to have 11 operations to cure the problem.
One of the ops led to gangrene, with doctors telling Cazorla he should be satisfied to walk again — never mind play – and also forcing him to use his weaker left foot after losing a lot of power due to the operations.
He added: “I have a special feeling for this club.
“I played in this youth academy when I was nine years old.
“I grew up here, I have my friends, my family.
“I’ll be a fan all my life. This makes it veryspecial.”;
He eventually returned home in 2023 and
Instead, he told the club president to pay him the minimum salary, with 10 per cent of any shirt sales going to the Oviedo academy.
