Valladolid 2 - Mallorca 1

Valladolid: César (Ricardo 55'); Torres Gómez, Santamaría, Peña, Heinze, Marcos; Caminero (Chema 83'), García Calvo (Eusebio 76'), Rodrigo; Shoji Jo, Víctor. 5-3-2.
Mallorca: Leo Franco; Armando, Olaizola, Fernando Niño, Miguel Soler; Lauren, Chichi Soler, Stankovic (Carlos 65'); Ibagaza; Diego Tristán, Eto'o (David 90'). 4-3-1-2.

Team changes: Valladolid: No change / Mallorca: Niño for Engonga.

Goals:
1-0. 63. Caminero. Spectacular overhead kick with back to goal.
1-1. 74. Carlos. Took pass from Armando, span and shot past keeper.
2-1. 90. Eusebio. Received free kick from Shoji Jo and shot from outside area.

Valladolid ended Mallorca's run of five matches without defeat with a last minute goal from veteran midfielder Eusebio. Mallorca's recent improvement, due in part to the excellent form of on-loan Samuel Eto'o, had taken them up to seventh place in the league and in line for one of the Intertoto places for the summer competition. There had been some controversy over the club's decision to take part in the Intertoto, with manager Fernando Vázquez complaining that he had not been consulted. Played in July when players are normally taking their summer holiday, several Spanish clubs such as Valladolid and Rayo have decided not to register to take part, although this year they could have given the early end to the season. The situation is still not clear regarding Mallorca, but the latest news is that they would only participate if they finished seventh (or at least above Celta and Málaga, the other two clubs who have registered), meaning that they could enter the competition in the third round in mid-July. Whatever the case, Vázquez decided to put forward his best line up for this match, and with Nadal still convalescing from his respiratory problems, but with Fernando Niño now recovered from his injury, the young defender came in for the hobbling Engonga. Valladolid manager Gregorio Manzano, another who is not sure if he will be in charge next season, kept the same line up as last week, although Peña was asked to play in front of the defence in what could arguably be called a 4-4-2 formation. After 12 years, this was goalkeeper César's last game for the club before moving to Real Madrid next season (he will not be playing in Valladolid's last match at Real Madrid next week), and Manzano pulled him off ten minutes into the second half so that he could receive an accolade from his public. Right now he is the only one who will definitely be leaving, although three of their veterans, Caminero and Eusebio (and also Vizcaino) must be approaching the end of their careers, and striker Víctor could be on his way, with offers from Málaga amongst others. Whether the old men stay on next season or not has, as far as I know, not been discussed, but they proved that there is life still in them thar' bones, with Caminero scoring the 50th goal of his professional career from an acrobatic overhead kick 'a la Rivaldo' in the second half, and Eusebio settling the match with a spectacular shot from all of 30 metres after receiving a short free kick from Shoji Jo (who incidentally played all 90 minutes for the first time since returning from injury). With the match coinciding with an important bull fight, only 9,000 spectators turned up, and they probably rued their decision to come to the match as the first half finished with only two real shots at goal, the first by Shoji Jo straight at Leo Franco, and the second by Diego Tristán, which César just hung on to. Caminero's goal (which ended a run of five clean sheets by Leo Franco) opened the game up however, and when Carlos came on for Mallorca, the two Cameroonis, Eto'o and Lauren, moved out to the wings as Mallorca came forward. Having come on to score twice last week, Carlos is becoming a bit of a super-sub, and he did it again, beating substitute keeper Ricardo with a strong shot from the right. Then Manzano brought on Eusebio for Garcia Calvo, and the rest is history. Valladolid move up to ninth, a point and a place behind Mallorca who momentarily drop a point behind Celta. However, with a home match against relegated Atlético Madrid to come, and Celta having to visit Barcelona with several key players missing, logically Mallorca should get back to seventh. If they do end up equal on points, Mallorca have the general goal average in their favour, with the particular average tied after both matches ended 1-0. They have got used to European football at the Son Moix, and would surely like to be back next year. Everything will become clear on Friday night.

Remaining match:
Valladolid: Real Madrid (A)
Mallorca: Atlético (H)

Espanyol 0 - Athletic Bilbao 0

Espanyol: Cavallero; Navas, Nando, Pochettino, Roger; Velamazán (De Lucas 46'), Galca, Sergio, Arteaga; Martín Posse (Serrano 70'); Tamudo. 4-4-1-1.
Athletic:Lafuente; Expósito, Alkorta, Ferreira, Lasa; Imaz (Roberto Rios 46'), Felipe, Carlos García, Javi González (Urrutia 82'); Sivori (David Karanka 75'), Urzaiz. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Espanyol: Roger, Velamazán, Galca for Cristóbal, De Lucas, Molnar / Bilbao: Lasa, Ferreira, Expósito, Carlos García, Javi González, Sivori for Lacruz, Larrazábal, Oscar Vales, Julen Guerrero, José Mari, Joseba Exteberria.

Goals: None.

Espanyol and Athletic Bilbao played out the fourth goal-less draw of the day in a match in which neither had anything to play for. Espanyol's main concern was that they didn't pick up any serious injuries, with their first cup final in 43 years coming up in two weeks time. Their caretaker manager Paco Flores, who will be continuing in a full capacity next season, decided in any case to play his best side in a trial run for the final, having rested players recently and lost their last three matches without scoring a goal. The only player he left out for this match was Cristóbal, who picked up an injury last week which spoilt his 100% record in the league this season, his place at right back being taken by the versatile Navas, with Roger returning on the other flank. Athletic manager Luis Fernández had little personal interest in the proceedings, with his replacement (probably Txetxu Rojo) taking over at the end of the season, and with Julen Guerrero suspended and nine players injured, including Joseba Etxeberria, Alkiza and Ezquerro, he used the opportunity to give little used players a run out. Three youngsters from B side, Unai Expósito, David Karanka (brother of Real Madrid's Aitor) and Nacho Garro, were drafted in to the squad, with the first two making their first team debuts. Although neither team were trying too hard, Espanyol got the best of the first half, with Galca hitting the crossbar from a free kick in the opening minutes and Posse shooting wide after finding himself alone in front of Lafuente. The young Bilbao keeper saved twice from Tamudo before the break, with the only reply from the visitors coming from the boot of Urzaiz and the head of Sivori. Both teams made changes at half time, with the more attacking De Lucas replacing Velamazán and the more defensive Roberto Rios on for Imaz. The change in the Bilbao team allowed Carlos García to come forward, and under his guidance Bilbao got their game together, with Urzaiz forcing Cavallero to tip his long shot onto the bar ten minutes into the half, and the Argentinian keeper saving a Lasa free kick and another close range shot from Urzaiz, the sharpest of the Bilbao forwards, later in the half. A Roger header could have settled the game in favour of the home side five minutes from time, but the ball passed just over the bar, and once again the game ended without a goal from Espanyol for the fourth match in a row. The draw left both teams tied with Málaga on 47 points in the middle of the table. Espanyol fulfilled their objective to end the game without injuries and are now only one match away from the cup final. That one match is very important for their city rivals FC Barcelona however, as they have to travel to league leaders Deportivo, and Barcelona need Espanyol to win for them to have a chance of their third title in a row. To make sure they keep their minds on the match, bonus payments are likely to change hands, with rumours now that up to 300 million Pesetas (at current exchange rates around one and a half million Dollars) will be paid in cash by Barcelona to Espanyol's club and players if they win. Nothing can or will be said officially, but watch for Samsonite sales to sky-rocket in Cataluña this week.

Remaining match:
Espanyol: Deportivo (A)
Bilbao: Alavés (H)