Valeron delighted as Las Palmas return to La Liga

Juan Carlos Valeron along with his boyhood club Las Palmas will be in La Liga next season

Madrid, June 22 (IANS) Spanish football club Las Palmas' veteran and former Spain international midfielder Juan Carlos Valeron was unable to contain his joy as his side overturned a 1-3 defeat from a week ago to book their place in the La Liga for the next season.

Palmas defeated Zaragoza on away goals after finishing 3-3 on aggregate, overturning a 1-3 first leg defeat in the final of the play-off for promotion from the Spanish second division on Sunday, reports Xinhua.

A goal six minutes from time gave Palmas the 2-0 win they needed to return to the La Liga for the first time since they were relegated in 2002. Palmas' long period out of the top flight even saw them spend time in the third tier of the Spanish game, but now thanks partly to the return of 40-year-old Valeron, who the club has confirmed will stay on for a further year, they have returned.

"That is why everyone came here," said the midfielder. "It was a really tense game and in the end we had to play direct football, but the goals finally arrived. The result does justice to Palmas, who finished in fourth place in the Spanish second division with 17 more points than Zaragoza, who finished sixth.

It also helps ease the heartbreak of last season when they lost the play-off final due to a goal in the last minute against Cordoba. They now take their place alongside Real Betis and Sporting Gijon, two other historic clubs in returning to the top-flight for next season.