Atlético Madrid secured a Champions League spot for the tenth straight season after defeating Elche 2-0 within the Spanish league.
The victory on Wednesday moved Diego Simeone’s group into third place, one level forward of Sevilla, which earlier missed its personal likelihood to ensure a berth in Europe’s high membership competitors subsequent season after a scoreless residence draw in opposition to relegation-threatened Mallorca.
Matheus Cunha and Rodrigo De Paul scored a aim in every half to depart Atlético six factors in entrance of fifth-place Real Betis with two rounds to go. Betis, which gained 3-0 at Valencia on Tuesday, cannot surpass Atlético for the ultimate qualification spot as a result of it loses on the head-to-head tiebreaker.
“This team also wants to be playing in the top competitions,” De Paul mentioned.
“We had an up-and-down season but to finish like this is important.” The victory left Atlético with an opportunity to catch Barcelona for second place and a spot within the profitable Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. Barcelona, which defeated Celta Vigo 3-1 at residence on Tuesday, is 5 factors in entrance of Atlético going into the final two video games of the season.
Real Madrid clinched its record-extending thirty fifth league title prematurely. It hosts last-place Levante on Thursday.
Atlético has made it to the Champions League each time since 2013-14. It reached the ultimate in 2014 and 2016, shedding the title-deciding video games to metropolis rival Madrid each instances. It solely didn’t advance previous the group stage in 2017-18.
Simeone’s group was eradicated by Manchester City on this 12 months’s quarterfinals.
Cunha opened the scoring within the twenty eighth minute and De Paul sealed the victory with a shot into an open web within the 62nd after an help by Antoine Griezmann, who performed effectively regardless of seeing its scoreless streak attain 17 matches in all competitions.
Substitute Atlético striker Luis Suárez had a aim disallowed for offside in stoppage time.
Elche, sitting in 14th place, has escaped relegation regardless of the loss, its second consecutive.
SEVILLA STALLS
Sevilla once more missed an opportunity to safe its Champions League spot prematurely at residence.
Julen Lopetegui’s group has drawn three straight matches, together with the final two on the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium. The different residence draw was additionally in opposition to a relegation-threatened group, Cádiz.
Sevilla has gained solely two of its final 10 matches in all competitions, with three losses and 5 attracts.
Mallorca stayed with possibilities of escaping demotion because it sits two factors behind Cádiz, the primary group outdoors the relegation zone. Cádiz visits sixth-place Real Sociedad on Thursday.
ALAVÉS BELIEVES
Alavés left final place and moved inside 4 factors of exiting the relegation zone with a 2-1 win over Espanyol.
Miguel de la Fuente and Gonzalo Escalante scored a aim in every half for the hosts, whereas Espanyol acquired on the board with Raúl de Tomás within the first half.
It was the third win within the final 5 league matches for Alavés, all of them at residence.
Espanyol stayed in thirteenth place and is protected within the high flight subsequent season.
GETAFE ALMOST SAFE
Getafe earned a 1-1 draw at mid-table Osasuna to maneuver inside some extent of securing its permanence within the first division.
It acquired the draw regardless of not having a single try on course. It was scored with its personal aim by Osasuna midfielder Lucas Torró.
The end result stored Getafe in fifteenth place, 5 factors from security. It has a greater head-to-head tiebreaker in opposition to Mallorca, the primary group contained in the relegation zone.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
