MADRID, May 16-- The last weekend of games in the 2018/19 Spanish La Liga will decide who joins Rayo Vallecano and Huesca in the second division next season, and who will play in next season's Champions League and Europa League. Girona and Celta Vigo are the two sides threatened with relegation and the situation is fairly clear. In order to stay up, Girona need to win away to Alaves and hope that Celta lose at home to Rayo. Not only do Girona need Rayo to do them a favor, but their inferior goal difference means there also needs to be a six-goal swing in Girona's favor for them to stay up at Celta's expense. Given that Girona have lost eight of their last nine matches and Celta have lost just once since Iago Aspas returned from injury, the miracle Girona need looks highly unlikely. In the race to finish fourth, Valencia will take the final Champions League spot if they win away to Real Valladolid, whose 2-1 win away to Rayo last Sunday means they are safe from relegation. If Valencia fail to win, Getafe would finish fourth if they better Valencia's result in their home game against Villarreal, who secured their place in La Liga last weekend when they won 1-0 at home to Eibar. Sevilla could also finish fourth, but Joaquin Caparros' side need to win their home game against seventh-placed Athletic Bilbao and hope both Valencia and Getafe lose. A point in Seville would be enough to ensure seventh place for Athletic and with it a spot in next season's Europa League, although if the Basque side win at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, it would lift them up to sixth and see them avoid three preliminary rounds. |