Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez raises the La Liga trophy at the Camp Nou stadium, yesterday.Atletico Madrid secured a berth in the Champions League group stage for next season and Deportivo La Coruna narrowly escaped relegation when they came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at champions Barcelona on the final day of La Liga yesterday.
Atletico Madrid made sure of third place thanks to a 0-0 draw at Granada, while Valencia twice had to come from behind to beat Almeria, who were relegated, 3-2 and clinch fourth and a spot in qualifying for Europe’s elite club competition.
Sevilla, Europa League holders and finalists again this season, won 3-2 at Malaga to finish fifth, sending them into the continent’s second-tier competition again next season along with sixth-placed Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao in seventh.
Bilbao, who are through to next Saturday’s King’s Cup final to play Barca, ended the campaign with a flourish by thrashing Villarreal 4-0 at the San Mames.
Sevilla face Ukraine’s Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the Europa League final in Warsaw next Wednesday when victory would earn them a place in the Champions League group stage along with Barcelona, second-placed Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
Depor’s comeback against a second-string Barca, who wrapped up their fifth title in seven years last weekend, sent Eibar back down after one season in the top flight despite the Basque’s club’s 3-0 win at already relegated Cordoba.
It also put a slight dampener on an emotional final La Liga appearance for Barca captain Xavi, who hoisted the trophy at Camp Nou.
The former Spain international, 35, announced on Thursday he was leaving the club after 17 seasons and 23 trophies. He will be joining Qatari side Al Sadd.
Meanwhile, Norway midfielder Martin Odegaard last night became Real Madrid’s youngest La Liga debutant at the age of 16 when he came on as a substitute in a 7-3 win over Getafe.
Odegaard, who is 16 years, five months and six days old and joined from Norwegian top-flight side Stromsgodset in January, replaced league top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo at the Bernabeu.
Ronaldo struck three times, taking his tally for the campaign to 48 goals, against their city neighbours.
Results, final standings
Almeria vs Valencia - 2-3
Athletic Bilbao vs Villarreal - 4-0
Barcelona vs Deportivo - 2-2
Celta Vigo vs Espanyol - 3-2
Eibar vs Cordoba - 3-0
Granada vs Atletico Madrid - 0-0
Levante vs Elche - 0-0
Malaga vs Sevilla - 2-3
Real Madrid vs Getafe - 7-3
R. Vallecano vs R. Sociedad - 2-4
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Barcelona | 38 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 110 | 21 | 94 |
| R. Madrid | 38 | 30 | 2 | 6 | 118 | 38 | 92 |
| Atl. Madrid | 38 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 67 | 29 | 78 |
| Valencia | 38 | 22 | 11 | 5 | 70 | 32 | 77 |
| Sevilla | 38 | 23 | 7 | 8 | 71 | 45 | 76 |
| Villarreal | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 48 | 37 | 60 |
| A. Bilbao | 38 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 42 | 41 | 55 |
| Celta Vigo | 38 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 47 | 44 | 51 |
| Malaga | 38 | 14 | 8 | 16 | 42 | 48 | 50 |
| Espanyol | 38 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 47 | 51 | 49 |
| R. Vallecano | 38 | 15 | 4 | 19 | 46 | 68 | 49 |
| R. Sociedad | 38 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 44 | 51 | 46 |
| Elche | 38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 35 | 62 | 41 |
| Levante | 38 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 34 | 67 | 37 |
| Getafe | 38 | 10 | 7 | 21 | 33 | 64 | 37 |
| Deportivo | 38 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 35 | 60 | 35 |
| Granada | 38 | 7 | 14 | 17 | 29 | 64 | 35 |
| Eibar | 38 | 9 | 8 | 21 | 34 | 55 | 35 |
| Almeria | 38 | 8 | 8 | 22 | 35 | 64 | 32 |
| Cordoba | 38 | 3 | 11 | 24 | 22 | 68 | 20 |