Villarreal confirms Conference League spot by defeating Barcelona 2-0; Granada gets relegated after playing a goalless draw

Villarreal made their way into the UEFA Conference League the next season after beating Barcelona 2-0 on the final day of La Liga courtesy of goals from Alfonso Pedraza and Moi Gomez. Title winners Real Madrid ended their La Liga campaign by playing out a goalless draw against Real Betis ahead of their Champions League final against Liverpool.

Real Madrid 0-0 Real Betis

Real Madrid players thank the home fans for their unwavering support throughout the league

With very little to play on the final day of La Liga, Real Madrid and Real Betis settled for a goalless draw as both sides lacked the urgency. The best chance of the game fell to Karim Benzema in the second half but his shot from inside the box was comfortably saved by the rival’s keeper. 

Rayo Vallecano 2-4 Levante

Rayo Vallecano drew first blood in the 18th minute through Alvaro Garcia Rivera after the Spaniard latched on to a lobbed pass from the other half before cutting his way through the box to score a goal. Gonzalo Melero equalised for Levante six minutes later by towering above his marker to thump his header home. 

Roger Marti put Levante in the lead for the first time in the game after finding himself at the end of a low cross from Jose Luis Morales to tap the ball home in the 44th minute. Two minutes later, Melero struck for the second time by slamming his shot from the edge of the box with the outside of his boot. 

Sergio Navarro converted his spot-kick to bring the game back to a one-goal deficit in the 61st minute but Coke Andujar scored against his former club in the 76th minute by nodding the ball home through a flurry of defenders to ensure Levante’s victory before plying their trade in La Liga II the next season. 

Valencia 2-0 Celta Vigo

Maxi Gomez scored Valencia’s first goal of the contest after directing his header into the net following a cross from Marcos Andre in the 28th minute. Nestor Araujo scored an ‘own goal’ in the 60th minute as Celta Vigo ended their campaign in the 11th spot. 

Elche 3-1 Getafe

Getafe scored the opening goal of the game in the 33rd minute after Enes Unal directed his shot into the bottom corner from a hand-shaking distance. However, their lead lasted for only four minutes as Lucas Olaza found himself at the end of a clearance off a rival defender to deflect the ball home. 

Kike Perez put Elche in the ascendancy for the first time in the 84th minute by converting his half-volley from inside the box before scoring the insurance goal in the dying embers of the second half to secure Elche’s victory. 

Alaves 0-1 Cadiz

Anthony Lozano scored the only goal of the contest for Cadiz after side-stepping his shot off a low cross in the 76th minute. The victory was enough to secure Cadiz a place in La Liga the next season as they pipped Granada by one point in the relegation battle. 

Granada 0-0 Espanyol

A victory would have secured Granada a place in the top flight of Spanish football the next season but it wasn’t meant to be as they settled for a goalless draw against Espanyol.

Osasuna 0-2 Mallorca

Angel Rodriguez broke the deadlock for Mallorca just after the change of sides by latching onto a first-time pass from Vedat Muriqi. Clement Grenier sneaked in his shot from the near post to score Mallorca’s insurance goal in the 83rd minute as the win secured Mallorca another season in La Liga. 

Barcelona 0-2 Villarreal

Villarreal players celebrate their first goal of the game

Alfonso Pedraza scored the opening goal of the game for Villarreal after the full-back placed his well-taken shot behind the reach of Ter Stegen in the 41st minute. Adama Traore handed the ball straight towards the path of Moi Gomez after failing to clear the ball in time and the latter controlled the ball with his first touch before firing his shot into the roof of the net to double Villarreal’s lead in the 55th minute. 

Real Sociedad 1-2 Atlético Madrid

After a goalless first half, Rodrigo de Paul gave Atletico Madrid the lead in the 50th minute after his thunderous shot from outside the box bulged the back of the net. Angel Correa swept the ball past the reach of the ‘keeper after finding himself at the end of a pass from Koke to double Atletico’s lead in the 68th minute. 

Real Sociedad bagged a consolation goal in the dying embers of the second half after Jon Goridi tipped his header into the net off a save from a free-kick.  

Sevilla 1-0 Athletic Club

Rafa Mir scored the only goal of the game for Sevilla in the 68th minute after latching on to a through pass from the opposite half and driving the ball past the reach of the ‘keeper. No more goals were scored in the game as Sevilla ended their La Liga campaign in the fourth spot.