All to play for on La Liga final day

Relegation and Champions League berths still to be decided.

MADRID: Almeria, Deportivo la Coruna, Eibar and Granada will fight it out to avoid the two remaining relegation places when the Spanish league season comes to a close on Saturday.

The makeup of Spain’s representatives in next season’s Champions League will also be decided with Valencia and Sevilla still vying for fourth place, whilst Atletico Madrid need a point to secure third and avoid a tricky qualifier in August.

Deportivo and Granada hold the advantage in the battle to avoid the drop as they lead Eibar and Almeria by two points.

However, they both face tough tasks this weekend as Depor travel to champions Barcelona, whilst in-form Granada host Atletico.

“It is difficult to get anything at the Camp Nou. We are facing the best team in the world, but we need to show that we are playing for our lives,” said Deportivo striker Oriol Riera. “For us there is no other game. This is the one that will decide where we will play next season.”

Barca, though, may not be in a forgiving mood despite having the title sewn up as the Camp Nou is expected to pay homage to Xavi Hernandez on his final league game for the club after a 17-year playing career.

Having previously won just twice in the league since September, Granada have won their last three games since Jose Ramon Sandoval took charge earlier this month to keep their survival hopes alive.

“A month ago it was almost impossible to survive and now we are just one game away from achieving it. A draw could do us and everyone believes we will do it,” said midfielder Ruben Perez, who looks set to feature against his parent club.

Atletico will definitely achieve their objective of qualification for the Champions League group stages with a point, but could still be usurped should they lose and Valencia win at Almeria.

“It is difficult to think that one game could define a season, but it is true that for us this point is very important,” added Atletico midfielder Tiago.

Almeria’s chances of staying up could be decided both on the pitch and in the court room in the coming days.

Even should they beat Los Che to avoid the drop, a final decision on whether they are to be docked three points for unpaid sums to Danish club Aalborg for the transfer of Michael Jakobsen in 2010 will be made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Tuesday.

A Valencia slip-up in Almeria would also have consequences at the top as Sevilla could move into fourth with victory at Malaga.

However, Sevilla also have a second chance at Champions League qualification as they will go straight into next season’s group stages even if they finish fifth should they retain the Europa League against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk on Wednesday. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd,  2015.

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