News Archive

Match round-up - First Division, Day 35

Betis made sure of their place in Europe for next season after they came from behind to beat Málaga 2-1 on Monday evening, and they even have a very remote chance of ousting Valencia for fourth spot going in to the last three games of the season. En-Nesyri gave the visitors the lead midway through the first half, but Durmisi equalised soon afterwards, and Fabián fired home the winner with a quarter of an hour or so to go. (30.04.18)

Barcelona are league champions for the seventh time in ten years and the 25th time in their history after a 2-4 victory at Deportivo on Sunday evening! Strikes by Coutinho and Messi put Valverde’s side two up, but goals by Lucas Pérez and Emre Çolak either side of half time pegged them back. Messi scored two more though in the last ten minutes to give the Catalans their second title in a week, and to send the Galicians down to the second division. Earlier in the afternoon Atlético Madrid kept up their push for the second spot with a 0-1 victory against Alavés, Gameiro getting the only goal from the penalty spot after the restart. Their main objective though is the Europa League, and Simeone rested several of his key players for Thursday’s semi-final tie with Arsenal. Atlético and Real Madrid have already secured their places in next season’s Champions League, but fourth placed Valencia will have to wait a little longer (at least until Betis play Málaga tomorrow) after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Eibar. The Basque side themselves still have an outside chance of making it into one of the three Europa League spots, although seventh place is currently held by Getafe after they drew 1-1 against Girona in the mid-day kick-off. Amath gave the Madrid based team the lead early on, but Stuani made it all square from the penalty spot on the stroke of half time to keep the Catalans a point below their hosts in the table. (29.04.18)

Levante made sure of their place in the top flight for next season with a 2-1 victory over Sevilla on Friday night. Roger opened the scoring for the Valencia based side, and although Carlos Fernández levelled it soon afterwards, Morales got the winner later on to make it six wins in eight games for caretaker coach Paco López. Levante are now level on forty points with three other teams, including Athletic Bilbao, Leganés, and Espanyol, who drew 1-1 with the already relegated Las Palmas on Saturday lunchtime. Calleri put the visitors in front, but Gerard Moreno saved a point for the hosts after the restart. Athletic Bilbao were beaten 3-1 by their old arch-enemy Real Sociedad later in the day, San José putting through his own net twice and Oyarzabal also on the scoresheet before Raúl García got one back from the penalty spot. And Leganés also lost 2-1 at neighbours Real Madrid, Bale and Borja Mayoral scoring for the locals (even though Zidane changed almost his entire line-up in the middle of their midweek Champions League semi-finals), and Brasanac netting for the visitors in the second half. All of that means that Deportivo are now just a point away from relegation, and if they don’t beat Barcelona on Sunday they will already be down (and Barça will also be confirmed as league champions!). Sevilla meanwhile decided to fire manager Montella and bring back Joaquín Caparrós in an attempt to save their Europa League spot, but they will be out of the top seven by the end of the weekend whatever the result tomorrow between Getafe and Girona (the two teams immediately below them), and Villarreal are now six points clear of the Andalusians after they beat Celta 4-1 in the last match of the evening. Bacca scored a first half hat-trick for the hosts, and although Pione Sisto replied for the Galicians, Samu Castillejo rounded things off in injury time. (28.04.18)