News Archive

First division – day 35

Betis and Espanyol virtually took each other out of the race for the European spots after they drew 1-1 in the Monday night game. Darder gave the Catalans a first half lead, but Feddal equalised in the fourth minute of injury time to leave both teams six points below seventh placed Athletic. (29.04.19)

It seems nobody wants the last Champions League spot, the three contenders all losing their respective matches on Sunday. Getafe stay fourth however despite a 2-1 defeat at Real Sociedad, Samu Sáiz’s goal coming too late to overturn a Willian José penalty and a strike by Oyarzabal. Sevilla stay level with the Madrid based side after they were beaten 1-0 by Girona, Portu getting the only goal for the locals on the hour mark for a first home win in six months which takes the Catalans out of the drop zone. And Valencia stay sixth, three points adrift of the teams above them, after they also lost 0-1 at home to Eibar, Charles getting an injury time winner after visiting keeper Dmitrovic had thwarted all the efforts by the Ches. All of that meant that Real Madrid are mathematically sure of at least third spot, although they too had a disappointing night, losing 1-0 to bottom club Rayo Vallecano. Embarba got the only goal from the penalty spot midway through the first half to take his side back above Huesca, who drew 1-1 at Villarreal. Pablo Formals opened the scoring for the locals before the break, but Chimy Ávila volleyed home the equaliser after the restart to prevent their hosts from moving fully clear of the relegation spots. After today’s results, Valladolid are back in the bottom three, with Celta, Levante and Girona just two points above them. (28.04.19)

Barcelona are league champions for the 26th time in their history and the eighth time in the last eleven years after they beat Levante 1-0 on Saturday evening! Following Atlético’s victory earlier in the day, the Catalans needed to win to ensure the title, but visiting keeper Aitor Fernández kept them at bay in the first half, with saves in particular from Luis Suárez and Coutinho. Valverde brought on Messi at the break though (who he had rested thinking about the midweek Champions League game), and within a quarter of an hour the little man found a way through, picking up Vidal’s headed pass before threading a shot past the keeper. Even so Levante came close to spoiling the day (as they did when they ruined Barça’s unbeaten record on the penultimate weekend last season), Morales missing an easy chance and Bardhi hitting the upright late on, but it was not to be, and they are now firmly involved in the struggle to avoid the drop. Atlético Madrid themselves beat Valladolid 1-0, the only goal coming midway through the second half when Joaquín headed Saúl’s cross into his own net. The defeat leaves the visitors just a point above the relegation spots pending Sunday’s games, and Celta are now two points ahead of them, level with Levante, after they drew 0-0 at Leganés. Elsewhere Athletic Bilbao and Alavés drew 1-1 in the latest Basque derby, keeping the hosts three points ahead of their opponents in seventh and eighth places respectively. Beñat opened the scoring for the locals late on in the first half with a direct free kick, but Borja Bastón made it all square on the stroke of half time. (27.04.19)