June 22nd, 2014. A date for the history of C.D. Leganés, which achieved promotion to the Second Division for the second time in its history in La Feixa Llarga de L'Hospitalet in a match to remember with a Carlos Álvarez's goal with a bicycle kick.
The pepineros returned to the silver division ten years later after their 2004 relegation, which ended eleven consecutive seasons in professional soccer, the only ones in their history at the time.
Leganés had finished the regular season in second place in Asier Garitano's first year in the dugout, having fought until the last matchday to be group champion, although Sestao River would finally win. The Blue and Whites qualified for their second consecutive play-off and fourth in six years with the hope that this time it would be the definitive one.
Second place in the regular league and play-off against Guijuelo, Lleida and L'Hospitalet.
C.D. Guijuelo was the pepineros' opponent in the first round: the first leg on the artificial turf of the chacinero stadium ended goalless after Leganés played nearly half an hour at a disadvantage due to Mantovani's expulsion, but Lega advanced to the next round with a 1-0 win at Butarque with a goal by Carlos Álvarez.
The next opponent was Lleida Esportiu, who had eliminated Leganés in the first round of the play-offs the previous season. The pepineros would get their own revenge by repeating the script of Guijuelo: 0-0 at the Camp d'Esports ilerdense and 1-0 victory in the second leg at Butarque, this time in extra time and with a goal by Mantovani.
Only one step remained, but the most difficult one. The final for promotion was against C.E. L'Hospitalet, this time with the first leg at Butarque and the second leg away. On June 15, Lega won once again at home by 1-0, again with a goal by Carlos Álvarez. In the second leg, on Catalan soil, Leganés had to defend that advantage. To do so, Asier Garitano lined up: Queco Piña; Postigo, Mantovani, Santamaría, Luis Ruiz; Alberto Martín, Eraso; Fer Ruiz, Fran Moreno, Álvaro García; and Carlos Álvarez. Paco Candela, Carlos de la Vega and Jhon Pírez would come in from the bench.
Carlos Álvarez, with an unforgettable bicycle kick, scored a goal for history.
More than eight hundred pepineros supported Leganés in La Feixa Llarga, in addition to thousands of fans who gathered in the Plaza Mayor of Leganés to watch the match on a giant screen and who were in the hands of their heads in the added time of the first half: Postigo's throw-in that was extended by Fer Ruiz and a defender of L'Hospitalet, and Carlos Álvarez's bicycle kick to the back of the net.
In the second half, and with a two-goal cushion, Leganés controlled the advantage and, despite the penalty goal from the locals, achieved the historic milestone of the second promotion in its history to the Second Division after 1993. On June 22, 2014, it was already part of history.
