La Liga Roundup, Matchday 33

The 33rd round of La Liga has ended, showcasing thrilling games, standout player displays, and unexpected results. Here is a recap of the La Liga matches from matchday 33.

Real Sociedad 0-1 Real Madrid

Real Madrid maintained their lead at the top of La Liga with a 1-0 victory in San Sebastian, despite being largely outplayed by Real Sociedad. Sociedad’s five-match unbeaten streak was ended with the loss. Oyarzabal, Kubo, and Sheraldo Becker all had close chances to score a late equalizer for Sociedad, who have only managed one home win in their last eight matches despite their recent strong performances. Real Madrid’s win over Sociedad marks their 27th consecutive unbeaten match in the league as they move closer to their 36th league title.

Las Palmas 0-2 Girona

Girona had a remarkable season and extended their success by defeating Las Palmas 2-0 at Estadio Gran Canaria. Despite not winning any of their last five away games since January, Míchel’s team managed to secure the victory, even though Moleiro hit the bar with a late shot. The three points placed them two points behind Barcelona, setting up an exciting Catalan derby at Estadio Municipal de Montilivi next week. On the other hand, Las Palmas’ poor form continued as they suffered their sixth consecutive loss, leaving them in 14th place with only one goal scored during that period.

Almeria 1-3 Getafe

UD Almería’s demotion from La Liga was sealed following a 3-1 defeat by Getafe, who secured their first away victory of 2024 with an impressive display by Mason Greenwood. Despite falling behind by two goals, the home team made a strong effort to score in the final stages of the match, with opportunities for Lozano, Pubill, and Jonathan Viera thwarted by Soria’s excellent saves. Viera’s dismissal for a second yellow card allowed Getafe to see out the rest of the game, moving them six points away from European qualification with five matches left, while Almería’s relegation was confirmed.

Alaves 3-0 Celta Vigo

Luis García Plaza’s aim to secure survival in the top tier received a significant boost at Mendizorroza, as Deportivo Alavés scored three goals in the second half to defeat Celta Vigo and widen the gap to 18th-placed Cádiz to 12 points. Celta struggled to respond in a lackluster performance against a team that has not beaten them in their last six head-to-head matches. Carlos Benavídez further compounded their defeat by scoring a third goal late in the game. Despite holding a comfortable lead over Cádiz, Giráldez will remain cautious as their survival is not yet assured with five games left to play.

Atletico Madrid 3-1 Athletic Bilbao

Atlético Madrid extended their lead over Athletic Bilbao to six points in the race for the final UEFA Champions League qualification spot by defeating the Basque team 3-1 at the Metropolitano. With just five matches left in the season, Atlético now holds a comfortable six-point advantage, making their qualification for next season’s Champions League increasingly probable. On the other hand, Bilbao has now gone four league games without a win and extended their winless streak away from home to 13 matches.

Cadiz 1-1 Mallorca

Struggling Cádiz are still five points away from safety after managing only a draw against RCD Mallorca. Vedat Muriqi scored for Mallorca before an own goal in the second half allowed Cádiz to equalize. The draw doesn’t help Mauricio Pellegrino’s team much in their battle against relegation. Their next match is against league leaders Real Madrid, while Mallorca will face Atlético Madrid in their quest for safety.

Granada 3-0 Osasuna

Granada’s surprising effort to avoid relegation in La Liga gained more strength as they won 3-0 against Osasuna, extending their unbeaten streak to three matches. This victory marked Osasuna’s fifth loss in six games. Despite Granada’s recent improvement, they still seem destined for relegation with a 10-point gap to safety and only five games left. On the other hand, Osasuna’s hopes for a European spot took a hit with their 16th loss of the season.

Villarreal 3-0 Rayo Vallecano

In a dominant display, Villarreal defeated Rayo Vallecano 3-0 in a La Liga match at the Estadio de la Cerámica, halting their opponents’ four-game unbeaten streak. Villarreal have only missed out on a top-seven finish twice in their last 18 seasons in the top division, and their strong performance in this match suggests they are worthy contenders for UEFA competition. This victory leaves them just four points behind seventh place with five games remaining in the season.

Real Betis 1-1 Sevilla

In the 141st edition of the El Gran Derbi, Sevilla and Real Betis played to a 1-1 draw at Estadio Benito Villamarín, marking the fourth consecutive league meeting with a tied result. Sevilla came from behind to secure the draw, halting Betis’ two-game winning streak. This draw not only hampers Betis’ chances of qualifying for Europe but also extends their winless streak in the derby to 11 matches, the longest in the history of this fixture. On the other hand, Sevilla’s point from the match puts them 12 points clear of the relegation zone, although their own three-game winning streak comes to an end.

Barcelona 4-2 Valencia

Robert Lewandowski scored three goals in the second half to help Barcelona come from behind and defeat 10-man Valencia at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. This victory ended Barcelona’s two-game losing streak and dealt a blow to Valencia’s chances of European football. With eight minutes left, Lewandowski capitalized on a mistake by Doménech to score the go-ahead goal. The win was secured in stoppage time when Lewandowski completed his hat-trick with a free-kick goal. This victory moved Barcelona into second place ahead of their upcoming match against Girona, while Valencia suffered back-to-back losses for the first time since October.