Santiago Aparicio |
Madrid (EFE).- While the upper part was untangled almost definitively, with the Champions League and Europa League positions defined, the fight for relegation is tightening with six teams separated by two points to define only one vacancy towards Second that they accompany to Elche and Espanyol, who certified their fall from the category in added time, at Mestalla.
The drama looms for the last date. Cádiz, Getafe and Valencia, with 41 points, see continuity in the main division. Almería and also Celta, in full decline, have one less and are below although still ahead of Valladolid, the third from last and current tenant of the square towards second.
The final day will end the mess. direct duels. Like the one from Valladolid in Zorrilla against Getafe. It will be the final match, with everything at stake and both teams with permanence in their hands. The rest is measured against rivals with nothing at stake. Celta host Barcelona, Almería host Espanyol, Valencia visit Betis and Cádiz host Elche.
Dramatic fall of Espanyol
Espanyol’s fall was dramatic. With a goal by Samu Lino in the 93rd minute that relieved Valencia (2-2) and sank the Barcelona team, which had turned the score around with goals from César Montes and Martin Braithwaite that came back from Diego López’s initial.
It was a painful punishment for Espanyol, who was left at the last minute with no option of salvation. Valencia, quite the opposite, with the same goal in hand as Cádiz, who beat Celta with a goal from Rubén Sobrino in the 54th minute.
The Galician team is a team adrift with five defeats in the last six games and sustained only by the previous income.
Almería could not ensure salvation unable to beat Valladolid, who scored at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos and left homework for the end. They will receive Getafe on the last day, who came from behind against Osasuna and achieved a valuable victory.
Chimy Avila soon put the Navarrese team ahead, but Juan Latasa and Jaime Mata in the end gave the Madrid team the victory (2-1), which clings to permanence. A draw in Valladolid leaves him another year in the First Division.
Atlético on the podium; the Real, in “Champions”
At the top everything is clearer. Atlético Madrid beat Real Sociedad (2-1) with goals from Antoine Griezmann and Nahuel Molina and secured at least third place. Diego Pablo Simeone’s team can still be runner-up because they face the last date one point behind Real Madrid.
The white team, which won in Seville on Saturday (1-2) with a brace from Rodrygo, hosts Athletic, while Atlético Madrid visits Villarreal.
The ‘yellow submarine’ was unable to win in Vallecas. Quique Setién’s team lost any chance of finishing fourth. La Real will play the next ‘Champions’ benefited by the defeat of the Castellón team in Vallecas (2-1), where Rayo forged their victory with goals from Raúl de Tomás and Isi Palazón.
Villarreal will finish fifth and Betis sixth. The Sevillian team won at the Girona stadium, making it difficult for them to fight for seventh position. Two goals from Borja Iglesias frustrated a Girona (1-2) team that had taken the lead with Miguel Gutiérrez’s goal in the first half.
Only the seventh position remains in the air, that of the Conference League. It is in the hands of Osasuna now, level on points with Athletic, who stumbled in San Mamés against relegated Elche (0-1), who achieved victory with a late goal from Lucas Boyé.
Girona, however, Rayo, Sevilla, with one less point, are also bidding for that continental place.
The session was completed with the clear victory of Barcelona against Mallorca (3-0) in a day of vindication, such as that of Ansu Fati, author of a double, and farewells such as those of Jordi Alba or Sergio Busquets.