It was a busy week in La Liga, with the big news being the sacking of Celta Vigo manager Rafa Benítez after a significant 4-0 loss to Real Madrid. This comes following a disappointing season for Los Celestes, with the club currently sat just a couple of points above the relegation zone. Celta Vigo thanked Benitez for his time at the club, but cited the team’s failure to obtain “the results expected by the club”.
Meanwhile there were also wins for second-place Girona against a mid-table Osasuna, and third-place Barcelona versus Mallorca, thanks to star boy Lamine Yamal. Fourth-place Atlético Madrid were less successful, losing 2-0 to relegation candidates Cádiz, after a triumphant brace from Juanmi. Athletic Club secured a 2-0 win over Las Palmas, Valencia saw a 1-0 victory against Getafe and Alavés pocketed a 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano. Meanwhile, Villareal continued a good recent run of form in la Liga with a 3-2 victory over Real Betis.
At the bottom of the table, a struggling Almeria pulled off a 2-2 draw with Sevilla at home, while Granada were beaten 3-2 by Real Sociedad, in what was nevertheless an impressive fight from the newly-promoted side.
It was also a busy week for Spanish teams in European competition, with Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Barcelona all progressing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League – for the latter, the first time in four years. While title hopes seem unlikely for Atletico and Barcelona, progression in the Champions League will prove a crucial boost for fans and finances alike. Villareal took on Marseille in the Europa League, winning 3-1 (this however was not enough to overturn the 4-0 deficit of the first leg though)..
Heading into matchday 29, there are some clashes to look forward to. Barcelona take on Atletico Madrid in the capital. Barcelona are still missing out on important players like Pedri, Gavi and de Jong due to injuries, and will be facing Griezmann back from injury and back in form with a Champions League goal. Anything less than 3 points for Barcelona will surely end their title hopes. Elsewhere, while Girona’s chance at a title seems to be slipping, they will be hoping to take points away from their clash with Getafe.
“Rafael Benitez” by thesportreview is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0