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Spanish Fottball Round-up Week 38La Liga Summary Barcelona are Primera Division champions, and will be joined in the Champions League next season by Real Madrid and third placed Sevilla. Atletico Madrid finish fourth and earn themselves a Champions League qualifying match. Villarreal just missed out on fourth and can console themselves with a place in the Europa League, along with sixth placed Valencia. At the bottom, Numancia and Recreativo were relegated last weekend, and have been joined by Real Betis, who could only draw with Valladolid at home and end the season level on points with Getafe, but are demoted with a goal difference just one worse off. Sunday, 31 May 2009 Espanyol 3 0 Malaga Espanyol ended their season with a win over Málaga. Tamudo was the hero of the night with a hattrick on what could be his last appearance for his side, the team captain scoring at the start and the end of the first half and adding the third from the penalty spot after the restart. Numancia 0 2 Sevilla Sevilla beat the already relegated Numancia to consolidate third spot. An Armenteros strike from Chevantóns cross, and a Juan Carlos Moreno own goal from Perottis centre, both in the last three minutes of the game, were enough to give Sevilla the victory. Osasuna 2 1 Real Madrid Osasuna successfully avoided relegation as they came from a goal down. A goal from Higuaín worsened their position initially, but Plasil equalised a few minutes later. Osasuna were given a huge survival boost when Salgado was sent off for a last man challenge on Plasil just outside the box. Juanfran put Camachos side ahead on the hour mark and Madrids misery was compounded when Huntelaar was sent off two minutes from time when he was flashed back to back yellow cards for a foul and dissent. In the end, Osasuna easily held on for the win and a guarantee of top flight football next season, while Madrid ended their tempestuous campaign in woeful fashion as they lost their fifth straight game. Racing Santander 1 1 Getafe Getafe fell behind to a Toni Moral goal at Racing Santander, and they were just a point off the bottom three before Granero equalised soon afterwards. Real Betis 1 1 Valladolid Real Betis could only manage a draw with Valladolid and now face up to the prospect of Segunda Division football next season. Betis simply could not raise their game to defeat a Valladolid side who also had an outside chance of facing the drop. Marcos gave the visitors the lead, firing home a low strike right on halftime, and despite a headed equaliser from Ricardo Oliveira in the second half, Betis were relegated by a single goal, in what must be one of the most breathtaking finales to a Primera Division season in recent memory. Sporting Gijon 2 1 Recreativo Huelva Sporting Gijon dramatically came from a goal down to already relegated Recreativo to pick up an invaluable victory that ensured their La Liga status in thrilling cicumstances. Ersen Martin stunned the home support with an excellent volley that flew past Ivan Pichu and pushed Sporting into the relegation positions. However, in the second period they emerged a stronger side, and quickfire goals from David Barral and Luis Moran pushed them back into safety. Saturday, 30 May 2009 Atletico Madrid 3 0 Almeria The final Champions League place was up for grabs, and favourites Atlético Madrid didnt falter as they beat Almería. Agüero and Raúl García put Abels side two up by the break, and Diego Forlán got the third to also ensure the league "Pichichi" and the European Golden Boot for the Uruguayan striker. Deportivo La Coruna 1 1 Barcelona Deportivo finished seventh after drawing with triple champions Barcelona. Bodipo put the Galicians ahead on the half hour mark from Guardados cross, but Etoo saved a point for Guardiolas side after combining with Bojan in the last minute, his 30th goal in the league this season. Mallorca 2 3 Villarreal Villarreal needed Atlético Madrid to lose for them to sneak ahead of their rivals, but in the end a victory at Mallorca was in vain. Canis opener for the visitors was cancelled out by a strike from Aduríz, but goals either side of half time by Llorente were enough to take the three points, even though Webó got another one back in the dying minutes. Valencia 2 0 Athletic Bilbao Valencia beat Athletic Bilbao to qualify for the new Europa League. David Villa got both the goals, the first early on from Joaquíns pass and the second in the last minute after Pablo Hernández set him up, probably signalling his last performance before moving on to pastures new. |
