Spanish duo celebrate promotion
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Article summary
RC Celta de Vigo and Cádiz CF have joined Deportivo Alavés in winning promotion to Spain's Primera División.
Article body
Cádiz champions
All three sides finished on 76 points with Cádiz crowned champions due to a better head-to-head record. Celta took second, leaving Alavés in third position. Cádiz, who won 2-0 at local rivals Xerez CD, return to the top flight after a 12-year absence, including nine seasons in Spanish football's third tier.
Celta celebrations
Celta defeated UE Lleida 2-0 to ensure they spent just one season away from the élite following relegation in 2004. The Galician club initially celebrated promotion two weeks ago but then had three points deducted for fielding an ineligible player in a 3-1 victory against Xerez. They subsequently lost 2-1 to SD Eibar last weekend, to set up a nervous finale.
Alavés return
The 2001 UEFA Cup runners-up Alavés, who had already clinched their top-flight return after two campaigns in the lower league, went down 1-0 against Real Sporting Gijón on the final day to end up third.
