Deportivo Alavés sealed their relegation on the penultimate matchday of La Liga Santander as they were beaten 3-1 by Levante. The result confirmed the Basque club’s slide to the Second Division, while Real Sociedad secured Europe League qualification with a 2-1 comeback victory over Villarreal, preserving their continental hopes for another season.
The Friday night clash highlighted the pressure on Alavés, who had to win to keep themselves in the top flight. The visiting coach, Julio Velázquez, entering his third stint at Glorioso in a single season after stints with Javi Calleja and José Mendilibar, watched his team take an early advantage only to be surpassed by Levante. The Levantine side’s resilience, led by a tenacious performance from their attackers, proved too much for the visitors as goals from Duarte, Roger, and Morales sealed a difficult afternoon for Alavés.
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The result left Levante in a strong position in the standings, while Alavés faced the grim reality of relegation after a narrow escape the previous year. The departure from the Primera Division marked a six-year wait to return to the second tier for the Basque club, underscoring the volatility and high stakes that define the league’s closing fixtures.
At the other end of the table, Mallorca’s bold performance offered a glimmer of optimism as they strengthened their survival bid with a key 2-1 victory over Rayo Vallecano. Abdón Prats delivered another decisive contribution, stepping up at a crucial moment to ensure the Balearic team could breathe easier as they navigated the final rounds of the season. The drama of relegation scraps ensured every point carried weight, and Mallorca capitalized on their opportunities to keep themselves within sight of safety.
Alavés down, Mallorca confident and Sevilla shut down Champions
The late-stage fight to avoid the drop kept Granada, Mallorca, and Cádiz tethered to the relegation trouble in the final days, each hoping for a miracle to escape the bottom three. The battle was intense, with yellow jerseys illustrating the precarious balance between persistence and pressure as the season drew to a close. Mallorca’s 2-1 win provided a rare moment of relief, while the specter of the relegation zone loomed large for the others as the sequence of results continued to unfold.
The season’s close also saw Sevilla, along with the other top clubs, navigating the shifting landscape of European qualification spots. The final standings and the precise margins mattered, as teams beyond the podium sought to secure prize money, prestige, and the opportunity to compete in continental play during the following campaign. The resolutions reflected the evolving dynamics of Spanish football, where every match contributes to the larger story of a club’s ambitions and its fans’ expectations.
LaLiga Classification 2021 – 2022
- Real Madrid 85 points
- Barcelona 73 points
- Atlético Madrid 68 points
- Sevilla 67 points
- Besiktas 64 points
- Real Sociedad 62 points
- Villarreal 56 points
- Athletic Club 55 points
- Osasuna 47 points
- Celta de Vigo 46 points
- Valencia 45 points
- Rayo Vallecano 42 points
- Espanyol 41 points
- Getafe 39 points
- Elche 39 points
- Granada 37 points
- Mallorca 36 points
- Cadiz 36 points
- Real Sociedad 32 points
- Alavés 31 points