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First division match round-up, day 37

Any one of six teams could go down on the last day after a thrilling round of matches on Sunday evening. All games kicked off at the same time, with Zaragoza keeping their hopes of survival alive thanks to a 1-0 win over Espanyol. The Maños dominated the first half, with Kameni having to save from Uche, Gabi and Lafita, and Ander and Boutahar. However the visitors needed a win to stay in with a chance of a berth in the Europa League, and Callejón should have done better when free in front of Leo Franco. Eight minutes in to the second half though Ponzio intercepted a sloppy pass by Iván Alonso to drill a low shot past Kameni, and they held on for the three points despite a couple of appalling misses by Alvaro Vázquez and Rui Fonte late on.

Zaragoza stay in the drop zone though after their closest rivals Getafe beat Osasuna 2-0. Michel's side had to win this one, and they were the better side in the first half, Pedro Ríos going close and Manu bringing a good save out of Ricardo. News came in though that Zaragoza had scored soon after the break, and there were some worried looks as Marcano missed an easy chance. But a few minutes later Miguel Flaño turned a Dani Parejo cross past his own keeper under pressure from Colunga, and although Ustari had to push a Pandiani header against the bar, Parejo put everyone's minds at rest with a second goal late on which took the Madrid based team to within a point of their opponents in the table.

Deportivo are level with Getafe in the table after picking up a valuable point in a 0-0 draw against a depleted Barcelona. After tying up the title at Levante mid-week, Guardiola gave a run out to many of his B team players, with Jeffren, Bojan and Afellay leading the attack. All three had chances in the first half, but Valdés had to come out to save from Adrián early on, and Valerón stabbed a shot just wide close to half time. After the restart the best chances came from a Dani Alves free kick and a late effort from Xisco which Valdés blocked. A useful point, but Depor still need a good result against Valencia next week, otherwise they may be seeing several of these young faces again next year in the Mini Estadi.

Real Sociedad are still not out of danger after they lost 3-1 to fifth placed Sevilla, and their match next weekend at home to Getafe may decide who goes down. All the goals came after the break, with Kanouté heading in two in five minutes from crosses by Alfaro and Perotti. Agirretxe got one back after Xabi Prieto put him through, but Negredo wrapped things up after Claudio Bravo could only push out a shot from Romaric.

Mallorca still need a point as well after they fell to a 3-1 defeat against the already relegated Almería. Some howling defensive errors allowed the locals to go three up with only half an hour on the clock, Uche scoring the first goal after Piatti stolle the ball off his marker to set him up. Juanma Ortíz drilled a second past Aouate after Michel laid the ball back from the by-line, and Piatti got ahead of the keeper to trun in Luna's cross on the near post. Webó got one back close to half time after good work by Pereira, but by then there was no way back.

Levante and Sporting Gijón are both safe though after they got the points they needed this weekend. Levante had a difficult visit to city neighbours Valencia, but despite having Xisco Nadal sent off midway through the first half for a late tackle on Soldado they held on for a 0-0 draw. It was a bad tempered match, and players clashed a couple of times before Nadal's red card. Jonas and Caicedo both went close in the first half and Mata had a couple of efforts saved by Munúa after the break, but with Valencia making sure of third spot they settled in the end for a point apiece.

Sporting Gijón themselves made sure of another season in the top flight after a 2-1 victory over Racing Santander. Diego Castro hit the post and Barral brought a good save out of Mario as the Asturians came out fighting, but Christian silenced the crowd on the half hour mark when he scored in Racing's first attack. Mario was proving an able substitute for the suspended Toño, but he could do nothing when De la Cuevas fired a low shot past him just before the break. And five minutes after the restart Nacho Novo beat him again to give his side the three points they needed to avoid any problems on the last day.

Espanyol's defeat means that Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao and Atlético Madrid will play in next season's Europa League, and all that is left to decide is which of the three will finish in seventh spot, and thereby be required to play in the earlier rounds. All of them are currently level on points, but Athletic Bilbao stay sixth on the head-to-head record after a 1-1 draw against Málaga. Recio put the visitors ahead with a low shot past Iraizoz close to half time. But Bilbao were awarded two penalties in a minute soon after the restart, and although David López's first spot kick came back off the bar after Demichelis was sent off for a foul on Llorente, he drove home the second after the rebound hit Eliseu on the arm to give his team the point they needed.

Atlético Madrid stay seventh therefore despite a 2-1 win over next to bottom club Hércules. Domínguez opened the scoring for the locals in the third minute after a defender blocked a shot from Mario Suárez, and De Gea saved a Trézéguet penalty later in the first half after Pulido held back Abraham Paz in the area. Koke hit the post and Agüero missed a good chance either side of half time, but Portillo rattled the crossbar with a well struck free kick, and Trézéguet levelled the scores afterJjuanra headed on a Farinós corner. Reyes won it for Quique's side a few minutes later though after Velthuisen could only parry a shot from Agüero, and Atleti now have to beat Mallorca in their last game and hope that one of their two rivals fails to be able to take a few more days holiday this summer.

All four Champions places have been decided now, and Villarreal will have to play the qualifying round after a 1-3 defeat against Real Madrid. Marco Rubén had a goal disallowed for offside early on, by with just over a quarter of an hour gone Marcelo picked up Kaká's pass to give Mourinho's side the lead. Cristiano Ronaldo was looking to tie up this season's Pichichi award, and he added to his tally with a well struck free kick five minutes later. Cani got one back soon after the restart, but with the game in injury time Ronaldo fired home a second free kick to make sure of the three points. (15.05.11)