Soccer-Girona relegated after draw with Elche, Mallorca also down in LaLiga drama

Soccer-Girona relegated after draw with Elche, Mallorca also down in LaLiga drama

The Star Online - Sport·2026-05-24 08:00

May 23 (Reuters) - Girona were ⁠relegated from LaLiga along with Mallorca on Saturday after a nerve-shredding 1-1 home draw with Elche ⁠consigned them to the second division, two years after their third-place finish secured Champions League ‌football.

Needing victory to stay up, Girona fell behind in the first half and although they levelled after the break could not find a winner at a tense Montilivi.

The result left them in the bottom three at the final whistle, joining basement side Real Oviedo ​in going down.

Mallorca beat visitors Oviedo 3-0 but finished on 42 ⁠points alongside Osasuna and Levante and were ⁠relegated after losing the head-to-head tiebreaker between the three clubs.

Celta Vigo secured sixth place and a Europa League ⁠spot ‌with a 1-0 win over Sevilla, while Getafe beat Osasuna 1-0 to finish seventh and claim Conference League qualification.

Five teams from 15th to 19th began the final day still looking nervously over their ⁠shoulders, with Oviedo already doomed at the foot of the table.

Mallorca ​started 19th on 39 points, ‌Girona 18th on 40, while Elche, Osasuna and Levante were above them on 42.

That left all ⁠eyes on the afternoon's ​biggest drama happening in Girona between two teams fighting for survival andElche struck first with a moment of brilliance from Alvaro Rodriguez in the 39th minute.

With his back to two defenders inside the box, Rodriguez controlled the ball, spun superbly ⁠and lashed a fierce effort into the top corner to ​leave Girona staring into the abyss.

Girona replied in the 48th minute when Arnau Martinez pounced on a rebound after a free kick, briefly restoring belief among the home supporters. But the late push for a winner brought only ⁠frustration and, eventually, silence.

Champions Barcelona, who wrapped up the title two weeks ago ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, ended their campaign with a 3-1 defeat at Valencia. Real beat Athletic Bilbao 4-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu in Dani Carvajal's farewell appearance.

Kylian Mbappe scored in the 51st minute to register his 25th LaLiga goal of ​the season and finished as the league's top scorer, two goals ahead ⁠of Mallorca's Vedat Muriqi.

Atletico Madrid and Villarreal will wrap up the season in a final LaLiga match on Sunday ​that will decide who finishes third and fourth as they are ‌level with 69 points.

They are nine points ahead of ​Real Betis, who complete the top-five qualifying for next season's Champions League.

Tenth-placed Real Sociedad secured a Europa League spot by winning the Copa del Rey.

(Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Ken Ferris)

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