Spanish title down to last game
Barcelona, May 21: Two of Spain’s most modest stadiums are set to offer scenes of joy and sorrow on Saturday.
Atletico Madrid can ensure it clinches its first Spanish league title in seven years with a win at Valladolid, while Barcelona will visit the already relegated Eibar.
Atletico enters the final round of the competition with a two-point lead over defending champion Real Madrid.
If Diego Simeone’s side fails to win at Valladolid, Real Madrid can retain its title by beating Villarreal. Real Madrid holds the tiebreaker advantage with Atletico in case they finish level on points.
In a provincial city 190 kilometres (118 miles) north of Madrid, Valladolid needs a victory at its Jose Zorrilla Stadium to have a chance of avoiding relegation.
Elche and Huesca are also fighting with Valladolid to not go down, with two of the three clubs destined for the drop.
For Valladolid defender Kiki Olivas, his team’s
desperation what it needs the upset.
Olivas will be tasked with helping defend Luis Suarez, whose late goal last weekend secured a 2-1 comeback win over Osasuna that kept Atletico at the top of the standings and in control of its fate. Atletico will face the finale without its most-used center back, Stefan Savic, who will serve a one-game suspension for accumulation of
could to pull
be off
yellow cards. Jose Gimenez, who has been hit by injuries and a bout with Covid-19 this season, will likely take his place.
Besides needing Valladolid to at least draw with Atletico, Madrid must beat a Villarreal side that has played well all season but may be looking ahead to an even more important game.
Villarreal will face Manchester United in the Europa League final on Wednesday in Gdansk,
Poland, aiming to win the first major title in club history. If it beats the English powerhouse, it will also qualify for the Champions League.
Meanwhile, the Argentina star Lionel Messi has been given permission to skip the team’s final game of the Spanish league season — at Eibar on Saturday — so he can have extra rest ahead of the Copa America. Messi didn’t train on Friday.
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