Villarreal beat Bilbao Athletic at the Bernabéu to go into the second tier of Spanish football
Today, 7th July 2020, marks 50 years since the first time Villarreal CF were promoted to Segunda División. In that summer of 1970, the Yellows won their Tercera División group – back then, Segunda B did not exist – and played the promotion play-offs. In the first tie against Langreo, they lost 2-1 on aggregate. Despite that defeat, Villarreal had one more chance, facing Bilbao Athletic (reserve side of the Basque team) in two exciting matches. Both at San Mamés and at El Madrigal, the score was the same, 2-1 to the home side, so there was a third game, at the Santiago Bernabéu, to decide the winner.
The result went in the Yellows’ favour, with a 2-1 win over the Basque side, which saw them promoted to Segunda División. The players who scored to delight of the fans were Luiche and Causanilles, helping the team reach the second tier of Spanish football for the first time in its history. The town went mad, with a great reaction when the players and manager returned. The mayor of Vila-real at the time, Juan Vilanova, welcome them back with an emotional speech.
