Rayo Vallecano have gained promotion to LaLiga Santander after defeating Girona 2-0 away on Sunday night, overcoming the 2-1 deficit from the first leg of the playoff final.
First half goals from Alvaro Garcia Rivera and Oscar Trejo proved enough to seal a famous comeback, and the Vallecas club were able to hold on despite being a man down from the 56th minute when Emiliano Velazquez saw red.
Rayo suffered relegation from LaLiga Santander in 2019, but coach Andoni Iraola, the former Athletic Club player, has galvanised the team and led them to an unlikely promotion given the circumstances.
Their promotion comes against all odds, coming off the back of a campaign which featured all sorts of off-field issues, from failure to pay players, failure to compensate fans for season tickets, as well as numerous injuries and COVID-19 disruptions.
But Rayo are a club used to doing things the hard way and will now return to the top flight after a two-year absence.