Football has done justice to Deportivo Alaves after Asier Villalibre’s penalty deep into stoppage time in extra time secured a return to La Liga on Saturday, coach Luis Garcia Plaza said a year after the Basque club were relegated.

Alaves and Levante were locked at 0-0 in their promotion playoff second leg, after the first leg also ended goalless a week ago, before Villalibre netted from the spot after a penalty was awarded for handball following a lengthy VAR review.

“I think that football has done justice with the promotion of Alaves,” an emotional Garcia Plaza said.

“We were better than Levante in this game — at home (last week) we were not — we created more chances and came close to scoring on many occasions.”

Villalibre kept his cool to become the hero of thenight.

“I was calm, I like to take penalties and I always wait for the goalkeeper to move,” the 25-year-old striker said.

Reuters