Rayo Vallecano 1 - Oviedo 2

Rayo: Lopetegui; Cota (Ferrón 65'), Amaya, Hernández, Alcázar; Helder, Poschner (Michel I 65'), Llorens; Luis Cembranos (Michel II 75'); Canabal, Bolo. 4-3-1-2.
Oviedo: Esteban; Keita, Boris, Onopko, Danjou (Eskurza 67'); Losada (Rubén 60'), Paulo Bento, Nadj; Pompei, Dubovsky (Iván Ania 73'); Dely Valdés. 4-3-2-1.

Team changes: Rayo: Cembranos for Pablo Sanz / Oviedo: Danjou, Dely Valdés for Eskurza, Rabarivony.

Goals:
1-0. 16. Canabal. Back heel past keeper after cross from Llorens on left wing.
1-1. 40. Dubovsky. Weak shot after Dely's pass which crept under keeper.
1-2. 78. Iván Ania. First time volley after Lopetegui saved from Dely Valdés

Oviedo survive to fight another day with only their second away win of the season against a demotivated Rayo Vallecano side. As it turned out even a draw wasn't really necessary as Betis committed suicide against Real Madrid in their match in Sevilla, but Oviedo's manager Luis Aragonés is too long in the tooth to rely on others to do his job for him. Luis got Dely Valdés back from international duty for this vital match, but knew that his top scorer would have to return to Panama the following week for anther game and would miss what could be a crucial match against Real Sociedad if Betis had won. He was also missing French defender Rabarivony, banned for four matches by the infamous video committee for head butting Hasselbaink in their match with Atlético Madrid last week. Rayo Vallecano had very little to play for, except perhaps a couple of Samsonites with a Betis address on them with some six million Pesetas (around USD32,500) per man. Whether that was true or not will probably never be known, even more so because, were it to have existed, it would never have been paid in view of the eventual outcome (note the double conditional with half pike - we don't want to be accused of spreading rumours). In any case, Rayo players vehemently denied after the match that they had been made any such offer. Their manager Juande Ramos, who now may be staying at the club, only made one change, with Luis Cembranos entering for the injured Pablo Sanz. Canabal passed a late fitness test and joined Bolo up front, and after setting up Cembranos early on for a shot which went just wide, he opened the scoring with a neat back-heel flick which left Esteban stranded. A few minute later Esteban scrambled a cross-cum-shot from Llorens off the line as Rayo fans celebrated, the party having started before the match with the presentation of commemorative plaques to the club from supporters for their best ever year in the first division. The players seemed to let the atmosphere go to their heads and relaxed, and they paid the price as Oviedo drew level late in the half after Lopetegui let a soft shot from Dubovsky under his body and into the net. Juande slapped a few bottoms at half time, and Rayo came out more motivated, with Canabal shooting just wide and then hitting a post in the opening ten minutes of the second half. Both managers made matching changes, with Rubén and Eskurza coming on for the visitors, and Ferrón and the first Michel for the home side. Fifteen minutes from time the second Michel came on for Rayo, and Luis brought on Iván Ania. And the winner was....(open the envelope) Luis Aragonés (cheers all round). Ania connected with a loose ball five minutes later to drive it past Lopetegui to take the three points and move his team past Real Sociedad up to sixteenth place. Luis may not be around next time though to save them as he is rumoured to be leaving (although talks with Zaragoza have fallen through). After the match the benevolent Rayo crowd (who know too well what it is like to fight to the end for survival) applauded the Oviedo players, who responded throwing their shirts to the crowd. In a week's time the counters go back to zero, and in a couple of months it will start all over again. Why do we bother? Because it's there I suppose, but we'll all be back again next season.

Remaining match:
Rayo: Sevilla (A)
Oviedo: Real Sociedad (H)

Atlético Madrid 1 - Sevilla 1

Atlético: Toni Jiménez; Aguilera (Roberto 89'), Gaspar, Santi, Toni Muñoz; Valerón (López 46'), Baraja, Hugo Leal, Luque; Correa (Mena 50'), Hasselbaink. 4-4-2.
Sevilla: Olsen; Héctor, Marchena, Germán (Zalayeta 67'), Tabaré; Jesuli, Francisco (Prieto 79'), Tsartas, Juric; Loren (Olivera 56'), Juan Carlos. 4-4-2.

Team changes: Atlético: Toni Jiménez, Santi, Toni Muñoz, Valerón, Baraja, Luque, Correa for Molina, Ayala, Gamarra, Capdevila, Bjebl, Solari, Kiko / Sevilla: Germán, Tabaré, Tsartas, Juan Carlos for Quevedo, Nando, Olivera, Otero.

Goals:
1-0. 31. Hugo Leal. Solo effort, fighting through defence and scoring with left foot.
1-1. 45. Tsartas. Rounded defender and shot past distracted Toni.

Pathetic scenes at the Vicente Calderón stadium where the two relegated teams played each other in a meaningless match. The smallest crowd in the recent history of Atlético Madrid, around 6,000 lost souls, turned up for this match with the intention of showing the players and management what they thought about their club's drop to the second division for the first time since 1934. Members of their most radical group, the Frente Atlético, decided to stay out of the ground at the beginning as a protest, entering once the game was in progress. They stood in front of a giant poster reading 'culpable' (guilty), and produced the names of those they considered responsible for the debacle, including legal administrator Rubí and players who have said they will not be staying on such as Valerón, Gamarra, Ayala, Solari, Njegus, Roberto, Lardín, etc., and even Hasselbaink. Elsewhere another poster read 'Gil out', and towards the end part of the crowd chanted against the popular club president for the first time since he took charge several years ago. The most shameful demonstration however came from the Frente Atlético, when a hail of eggs raining down on Toni's goal just on half time. Sevilla were attacking as the assault began, and with the keeper dodging the eggs they scored their equaliser through Tsartas. Earlier Hugo Leal (one of the few popular ones) had given Atleti the lead with a solo effort, turning with his back to goal, going past one player, losing control and winning it back before shooting past Olsen. It was one of the few bright moments in a dull match, with neither team taking the fixture seriously. Atlético players were asked to turn up at the ground a couple of hours before the game instead of their usual meeting point several hours earlier, and Sevilla decided to travel up to Madrid on the AVE, the fast train, the morning of the game to save on a hotel night. Madrid's manager Radomir Antic took advantage to make several changes, with Toni returning in goal for Molina, the other Toni, club captain returning at left back, and young B team striker Luque in the side. Correa came in up front alongside Hasselbaink in place of Kiko. Sevilla's manager Juan Carlos Alvarez did likewise, and with Nando suspended and Angel, Víctor and Rabadja all injured, in came young full back Germán and Uruguay's Tabaré in defence. Greek international Tsartas also came back, as did top scorer Juan Carlos, with Loren moving forward on the right hand side of the attack. Referee Daudén Ibáñez correctly disallowed a Correa goal early on, with Hasselbaink clearly offside. Santi and Spanish international Valerón (who is probably on his way to Valencia) were being constantly cajoled by the home supporters, whereas players such as Aguilera, Toni, Baraja and Hugo Leal were applauded, the crowd having decided who they liked and who they didn't. Then came the two goals and the disgraceful egg throwing incident, and Daudén called half time. Antic took off Valerón at the break, replacing him with the popular Juanma López, who has played little this season due to injury. Aguilera hit a post soon after the restart and Atleti were on top, but things changed suddenly as Hugo Leal lost his cool and lashed out at Jesuli. The referee had no choice but to send him off, and the young Potuguese midfielder could receive a two or three match suspension which could see him out of the cup final in a fortnight's time. Mena came on to strengthen midfield, and the Argentinian was unlucky to be the victim of one of the worst refereeing decisions of the season when he chipped the ball forward down the right wing and ran on readying himself to cross. Aguilera had been standing in an offside position in the middle, and seeing the play stood stock still not to interfere with play. The linesman however raised his flag and Daudén gave the offside. To add insult to injury Mena was booked for arguing. It didn't matter very much anyway as nobody really cared, and the game degenerated from then on, with eight yellow cards being shown in all as high tackles came in from both sides. Towards the end of the game three fans ran on to the pitch calling to the others to invade, and the police lined the fences to stop them. Thankfully the referee had the presence of mind to stop the game the moment that the 90 minutes were up and players ran off quickly as objects including seats were thrown on to the pitch. Atlético ended their last home match in the first division in disarray with their fourteenth league game in a row without a win, but they still have one ray of hope left, with the Spanish cup final against Espanyol in two weeks time a possible gateway into the UEFA cup and a chance to hold on to some of their best players. Sevilla don't even have that, and went back on the train the next day to plan next season. Sad moments all round.

Remaining match:
Atlético: Mallorca (A)
Sevilla: Rayo (H)