Much still to be resolved in the Liga BBVA

With just one matchday to go until the end of the Liga BBVA season, there are several battles that have now been settled.FC Barcelona were crowned league champions at the Vicente Calderón on Sunday, and at the bottom Getafe CF and Levante UDsealed safety. Valencia CF and Sevilla FC will continue their fight for the final UEFA Champions League spot, while two of  RC Deportivo, Granada CF, SD Eibar and UD Almeríawill go down as the quartet battle it out for Liga BBVA survival on the last day.

Barcelona crowned at the Calderón

FC Barcelona claimed the 2014/15 Liga BBVA title after beating Atlético Madrid 0-1 at the Vicente Calderón. Lionel Messi‘s goal, his 41st of the season, was enough to ensure that los azulgranas picked up their 23rd league championship. The Catalans’ title destiny was in their own hands on the matchday and, on a ground as tricky as Atlético’s, they made no mistake.

Hanging on the result of the clash were Real Madrid, who were hopeful of a Barcelona slip-up to keep their championship hopes alive. Los blancos saw RCD Espanyol off 1-4 with three goals from Cristiano Ronaldo, who left himself on course for the Liga BBVA top scorer award, and another from Marcelo. Christian Stuani was on target for los pericos. 

Champions League race gets even tighter

Valencia CF and Sevilla FC will vie for the final UEFA Champions League place on the last day of the Liga BBVA. Los ché drew 1-1 with RC Celta thanks to a goal from Nicolás Otamendi to keep themselves a point clear of los hispalenses. Los valencianistas are also in with a shout of third place, as they lie three points behind Atlético and have the advantage in the teams’ head-to-head record.

Meanwhile, Sevilla came from behind against UD Almería courtesy of a brace from Vicente Iborra, after Thievy Bifouma had put the visitors ahead. Unai Emery’s men move to within a point of fourth position and go into the final game of the Liga BBVA season with a chance of claiming qualification for next term’s Champions League.

Boosts for Deportivo and Granada at the bottom

The relegation dogfight will deliver one final, decisive instalment on the coming matchday. Getafe CF, who drew 1-1 with SD Eibar, and Levante UD, who lost 2-0 to RC Deportivo, have mathematically secured safety, but there are four teams still tussling for two berths to stay in the Liga BBVA next season.

Deportivo, who earned victory for the first time in fifteen matchdays in a 2-0 triumph over Levante, and Granada CF, who overcame Real Sociedad0-3, are outside of the drop zone as things stand, both on 34 points. The teams that have slipped into the relegation places are SD Eibar, who played out a 1-1 stalemate with Getafe, and UD Almería, who lost 2-1 to Sevilla. Both sides, who are on 32 points, are just two away from climbing out of the danger area. 

Quick-fire comeback to move close to clinching seventh

Athletic Club produced a turnaround from 2-0 down to Elche CF to win 2-3 and leave seventh place all but sealed. The Bilbao outfit recovered from a first-half double from Jonathas de Jesús and completed a comeback in just 10 minutes through goals from Ager Aketxe, Mikel San José and Iñaki Williams.

Another side in the shake-up for seventh are Málaga CF. The Andalusians fell to a 2-1 defeat against Villarreal CFat El Madrigal and sit two points behind Athletic. RCD Espanyol and RC Celta are three points off the Basque club, so Ernesto Valverde’s team are very close to securing the position on the coming matchday.