Girona relegated after draw with Elche, Mallorca also down in LaLiga drama

Needing victory to stay up, Girona fell behind in the first half and although they levelled after the break could not find a winner at Elche

Credit: Facebook/Girona FC

Girona were relegated from LaLiga along with Mallorca on Saturday after a nerve-shredding 1-1 home draw with Elche consigned them to the second division, two years after their third-place finish secured Champions League football.

Needing victory to stay up, Girona fell behind in the first half and although they levelled after the break could not find a winner at a tense Montilivi.

The result left them in the bottom three at the final whistle, joining basement side Real Oviedo in going down.

Mallorca beat visitors Oviedo 3-0 but finished on 42 points alongside Osasuna and Levante and were relegated after losing the head-to-head tiebreaker between the three clubs.

Celta Vigo secured sixth place and a Europa League spot with a 1-0 win over Sevilla, while Getafe beat Osasuna 1-0 to finish seventh and claim Conference League qualification.

Five teams from 15th to 19th began the final day still looking nervously over their shoulders, with Oviedo already doomed at the foot of the table.

Mallorca started 19th on 39 points, Girona 18th on 40, while Elche, Osasuna and Levante were above them on 42.

That left all eyes on the afternoon's biggest drama happening in Girona between two teams fighting for survival and Elche struck first with a moment of brilliance from Alvaro Rodriguez in the 39th minute.

With his back to two defenders inside the box, Rodriguez controlled the ball, spun superbly and lashed a fierce effort into the top corner to leave Girona staring into the abyss.

Girona replied in the 48th minute when Arnau Martinez pounced on a rebound after a free kick, briefly restoring belief among the home supporters. But the late push for a winner brought only frustration and, eventually, silence.

Champions Barcelona, who wrapped up the title two weeks ago ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, ended their campaign with a 3-1 defeat at Valencia. Real beat Athletic Bilbao 4-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu in Dani Carvajal's farewell appearance.

Kylian Mbappe scored in the 51st minute to register his 25th LaLiga goal of the season and finished as the league's top scorer, two goals ahead of Mallorca's Vedat Muriqi.

Atletico Madrid and Villarreal will wrap up the season in a final LaLiga match on Sunday that will decide who finishes third and fourth as they are level with 69 points.

They are nine points ahead of Real Betis, who complete the top-five qualifying for next season's Champions League.

Tenth-placed Real Sociedad secured a Europa League spot by winning the Copa del Rey.