La Liga Round Up: Barca Sink Valladolid to Clinch Title

Sam Parker rounds up the final weekend’s action as Barcelona thrash Valladolid to give them back-to-back titles.

BARCA ROMP HOME AS REAL FALTER

Barcelona recorded an easy 4-0 win over Valladolid to secure the title for the second successive year. In doing so, Lionel Messi matched the record goals total for a single season in Spain by the mercurial Brazilian, Ronaldo of Real Madrid with 47 goals in all competitions.

Things started off in nervy fashion though, as Victor Valdes nearly gifted Valladolid an equaliser and was thankful to Carlos Puyol for a timely block on Manucho with the goal gaping.

This was enough to give Barca the kick-start they needed, though a helping hand was provided by Luis Prieto, who turned Pedro’s cross into his own net. Pedro then got his name on the scoresheet, slotting underneath the ‘keeper after superb play from Messi.

Then it was Messi’s turn to make his mark, first tapping home Yaya Toure’s cross along the six-yard box, and then going on a typical slaloming run and sliding the ball home for his 34th in the league, comfortably sealing him the Pichichi trophy. The result also meant that Valladolid were relegated to the Segunda division.

Whilst victory wouldn’t have altered the end result, Real Madrid finished three points behind Barca, despite posting their own record points total of 96. They ended their campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw with Malaga, a result which meant the Andalusian side stayed up by a single point.

Duda gave the strugglers an early lead to ensure that, despite Rafael Van Der Vaart’s second half equaliser, it was a disappointing day for Los Blancos.

Watch Goals & Match Highlights here: Barca 4-0 Valladolid

XEREZ AND TENERIFE JOIN VALLADOLID IN DOWNWARD SLIDE

Alas, the miracle didn’t come. Surprisingly still in with a hope of survival going into the final day, Xerez couldn’t quite pull it off, though they still managed a credible draw at Osasuna.

Dady sunk their hopes with an goal for Osasuna early in the second half and even Antonito’s quick equaliser wasn’t enough to send them tumbling back from whence they came.

Tenerife were also introduced to the trap door, as they made a swift return to the Segunda. They went down 1-0 at Valencia, as Alexis struck in stoppage time to break Tenerife hearts.

With those three down, it meant Racing Santander stayed up with Malaga after a 2-0 win over Sporting Gijon. Pre-match talk had been about a supposed agreement between the two sides to help the other out should one of them require points to escape relegation and to be fair, Sporting didn’t really put up much of a fight.

Mohammed Tchite was the beneficiary as he took his personal tally to 11 after netting a brace to give Racing a much needed three points.

SEVILLA PIP MALLORCA TO FOURTH

Sevilla enjoyed some last minute drama to take them into next season’s Champions League, as Rodri Cordero scored deep into stoppage time to give them a 3-2 win over Almeria.

Sevilla had twice led through Fredi Kanoute and a Chico own goal, but were hauled back both times by Fernando Soriano and Juanma Ortiz. Their hopes were put in even further doubt when Alvaro Negredo picked up his third red card of the season for dissent, but Rodri popped up in the 95th minute to score the all important winner.

That goal was galling for Mallorca as they were on course to claim fourth spot for themselves after strolling to a 2-0 win over Espanyol. Victor and Mario Suarez got the goals in another routine home win for the Islanders, but it was all in vain and Mallorca will have to settle for Europa League football next season.

GETAFE QUALIFY FOR EUROPA LEAGUE

Getafe claimed the other Europa League spot, as they thumped Atletico Madrid 3-0. Atletico were in the middle of two major finals, having won the Europa League and competing against Sevilla in the Copa Del Rey next week, so players were rested en masse.

Getafe were able to take advantage of that with a rout of their Madrid rivals, with Roberto Soldado grabbing a brace and Dani Parejo getting the third to seal their spot in Europe.

Villarreal, however, miss out having been held to an epic 3-3 draw at Zaragoza. A point could be deemed a good result in this game were it not for the repercussions, as they were trailing by three goals to a Zaragoza side that hit form at the right time.

Goals from Eliseu, Adrian Colunga and Ruben Pulido meant they ploughed into a commanding lead after just 36 first-half minutes. Santi Cazorla pulled one back just before half-time, and then doubled his personal haul nine minutes into the second period. Giuseppe Rossi completed a miraculous comeback 13 minutes from time, but Villarreal missed out on a European spot.

ATHLETIC BEAT DEPOR

In the one game of the round that had nothing substantial riding on it, Athletic Bilbao defeated Deportivo by two goals to nil.

Young strikers Iker Muniain and Javi Martinez got the goals in a match more significant for the end of an era, as Joseba Etxeberria waved goodbye to the Athletic fans as he enters retirement from professional football.