Real Madrid Castilla narrowly missed out on promotion to the second tier of Spain. The reserve team of Real Madrid, coached by club icon Raúl, had the promotion ticket within their grasp on multiple occasions against CD Eldense but ultimately let it slip away in extra time (4-4 over two legs).
In the regular season, Real Madrid Castilla finished third, which meant they had to participate in the promotion playoffs. They had already defeated Barça Atlètic in the playoffs, and the two-legged tie against Eldense would determine their fate. The first match ended in a 1-1 draw, setting the stage for a thrilling encounter.
Real Madrid Castilla took a 2-0 lead in the away game against Eldense, marking the first time they let the promotion slip away. Eldense fought back and leveled the score to 2-2, forcing the match into extra time. With twelve minutes remaining, Real Madrid was awarded a penalty, which Sergio Arribas converted, reigniting their hopes of promotion.
However, six minutes before the end, Juanto Ortuna equalized for Eldense (3-3). While many competitions would rely on penalties to determine the outcome, in Spain, the promotion ticket goes to the highest-ranked team in the regular season. In the other part of the Spanish third-tier league, Eldense finished second, securing their spot in the Segunda Division for the following year instead of Real Madrid Castilla.
