Key Takeaways
- Santi Cazorla has confirmed he has made a decision about his future and will announce it soon
- The 41-year-old midfielder has played a limited role for Real Oviedo during their difficult La Liga campaign
- Real Oviedo face almost certain relegation with only five matches remaining this season
Spanish midfielder Santi Cazorla has strongly suggested that he will retire from professional football at the end of the current season. The 41-year-old made these comments while receiving a special award at his boyhood club Real Oviedo on Wednesday morning.
Cazorla collected the prestigious ‘Moscon de Oro’ prize at the club’s training ground. This award recognises players who represent the true values of sport. During the ceremony, the former Arsenal star revealed that he has already decided his future.
“This is not the right moment to make an official announcement,” Cazorla told Marca. “The team matters most right now. I will reveal my plans in the next few days. I want to finish the season properly. The decision is final. I have discussed everything with my family, my representatives, and the club.”
The veteran playmaker returned to Oviedo last year after spending three years in Qatar. He helped the club achieve promotion to La Liga through the play-offs. However, they have struggled badly in the top flight and sit seven points below the safety line with just five games left.
Cazorla admitted that the difficult campaign has influenced his thinking. “When you wait 24 years for promotion, you hope to enjoy the season even if survival is hard. This year has been tough for everybody. The results have affected my choice. Perhaps if we had performed better, things might differ. I have loved representing the club of my life, and I wish to continue playing until the final whistle.”
The Asturias outfit have suffered from managerial instability throughout the term. Veljko Paunovic lost his job early in the campaign. His replacement Luis Carrion failed to win a single match. Guillermo Almada took over in December and has struggled to turn things around.
“We must learn from this season,” Cazorla stated. “The club needs to improve its decisions and management. Everyone must work together and keep their passion for Oviedo. Unity is essential at every level. We lost that togetherness at times this year. We cannot allow this to happen again.”
Cazorla has mostly appeared as a substitute this season. His last appearance came during the 2-1 defeat against Elche last weekend. That loss left the team facing almost certain relegation back to the Segunda Division.