Who will answer the Conference call?
As the relegation battle takes centre stage on the final day, the fight to finish seventh could be just as intriguing as an appetiser.
Eyeballs on LaLiga will be concentrated in the late evening, as six clubs strive to avoid the unthinkable outcome of relegation, but there is still one European ticket up for grabs. Earlier in the week, Román De Arquer produced the below piece on the complex computations and permutations which will decide who stays safe and who goes down.
The top four is already sorted, as is the Europa League, but the last remaining European place for Spanish clubs remains open to be snapped up. Five clubs could still end the season in that spot, which could have implications in budgets, squad planning and player retention over the summer.
Osasuna currently occupy 7th spot with 50 points, ahead of Athletic Club by virtue of their superior head-to-head. Then come Girona and Rayo Vallecano on 49 apiece (the direct duel is equal, but Girona have a superior overall goal difference). Sevilla also have 49 points, but are below both owing to their poor performance against those promoted sides earlier in the season.
All of these clubs could mathematically finish 7th. It is important to note that Sevilla’s victory in the Europa League final in Budapest changes things. Their seventh triumph gives them access to Pot One of next season’s Champions League, meaning LaLiga will have five clubs in the elite once again. Should Sevilla finish 7th, LaLiga’s Conference League spot will disappear, and Spain will stay with seven clubs in Europe. However, if any of the other sides finish 7th, they would enter the Conference League and Spain would have eight representatives in European competitions (five in the Champions League, two in the Europa League and one in the Conference League).
Mallorca can also reach 50 points, but given the fact that two of the other contenders face off, at least one of them will surpass 50 points, meaning Javier Aguirre’s side cannot climb as high as 7th. They will still have a huge say in who can, however, as they host Rayo on Sunday evening. Andoni Iraola will depart after this game, and he would love to do so having steered Rayo into Europe. For it to become a reality, they need to beat Mallorca, while they need Athletic to fail to win away at Real Madrid and for Osasuna and Girona to draw.
For Athletic, they need to win and hope Osasuna do not. Girona have to win at El Sadar and hope Athletic fail to win at the Bernabéu. Osasuna have the easiest equation. Win at home to Girona and they will be 7th. They are the only club in the race who depend on themselves without relying on other results.
Sevilla travel to Real Sociedad for what is set to be a carnival atmosphere all round. Should they win and the other contenders all fail to do the same, Sevilla will take 7th on 52 points and therefore render the entire exercise futile. Safe in the knowledge they have a place in the Champions League, and undoubtedly feeling the effects of the celebrations, it would be quite a surprise to see Sevilla take all three points.
So, after all the calculations and head-scratching, Osasuna seem to be in pole position to seal a place in European football for the first time since 2007. It would be a reward that would represent appropriate vindication for the work done by Jagoba Arrasate and his squad. In truth, anything could still happen, with twists, turns and more drama almost inevitable on the final day of the season.