(Cricket news) LaLiga Santander brings the penultimate matchday of the 2022–23 season, and it promises to be a particularly exciting round of play because there is still so much at stake, especially in the tight relegation battle as six teams vying for the bottom spot are squaring off against one another. On Sunday night at 19:00 CEST, these relegation six-pointers will be played, and as goals flood in from all across the peninsula, the rankings will fluctuate.
At each of these venues on Matchday 37, there will also be a significant anti-racism campaign. Following the upsetting events at Mestalla last weekend, LaLiga will distribute hundreds of thousands of anti-racism flyers to spectators at all LaLiga Santander and LaLiga SmartBank games this weekend, reiterating the league’s zero-tolerance policy on the matter and outlining all the ways they can report any racist behaviour they may observe both inside and outside stadiums.
Sevilla FC and Real Madrid square off in the opening match of Matchday 37 on Saturday at 7 p.m. CEST. The two teams previously engaged in a thrilling match, which Real Madrid ultimately won 3-1, but Sevilla FC will aim to win this time to boost its confidence going into the Europa League final.
Drama during the unified kickoff time on Sunday is a given, especially given how closely contested the LaLiga Santander relegation race is. Seven teams remain mathematically vulnerable going into the last round. They are: Valencia CF (40 points), RC Celta (40 points), UD Almera (39 points), Getafe CF (38 points), Cádiz CF (38 points), Real Valladolid (38 points), and RCD Espanyol (35 points). Amazingly, six of these sides compete against one another.
Los Pericos believe a spectacular escape is still possible because they pulled off a miraculous comeback on Wednesday night, even though 19th-placed RCD Espanyol are a little further behind. In-form Atlético de Madrid had a 3-0 lead on them, but they rallied back to tie the game 3-3 and earn a point. They now travel to Valencia CF on Sunday, a crucial direct matchup between two of the teams contending for survival.
Real Valladolid are currently in the 18th and last relegation zone, but Paulo Pezzolano’s team is optimistic after upsetting champions FC Barcelona 3-1 in the middle of the week. On Sunday, they play UD Almeria, a team that the Pucela might overtake in the rankings with a victory, in another relegation six-pointer.
The last secure position is held by Cádiz CF, who are tied with Real Valladolid in points and can’t afford any mistakes. Los Amarillos will host RC Celta, and if they win, they can pass their Matchday 37 opponents, thus both of these teams will give it their best.
The only team in the relegation fight that won’t play a team that is also fighting to stay up is Getafe CF. Instead, they will host CA Osasuna at the Coliseum, who are pursuing Europe. The team of Alfonso Pérez and José Bordalás will be hoping for another much-needed victory thanks to home field advantage.
Two crucial games will be played in Madrid at the same time as the relegation fight, adding to the importance of the race for European football. Villarreal CF will go to Vallecas to play Rayo Vallecano with the knowledge that they still have a chance to qualify for the Champions League. Real Sociedad is five points ahead of El Submarino Amarillo, but La Real has their own difficult task in the city when they travel to Atlético de Madrid.
A bit further down the standings, an exciting race is underway to unseat CA Osasuna from the seventh and final European position. When Athletic Club welcomes the already-relegated Elche CF to Bilbao, they hope to make significant progress towards their goal of returning to UEFA contention this season. In the meantime, Girona FC, who has never played in Europe, will face Real Betis in an effort to maintain their prospects.
The match between FC Barcelona and RCD Mallorca will also be noteworthy, although for a totally different cause. Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba will play their final game at Camp Nou on Spotify, and they’ll be hoping to celebrate one more victory in front of the Barça crowd. When that happens, together with the spectacle of the European race and the relegation battle, it will be an emotional event.
INDIA TIMINGS
Saturday, 27th May, 10:30 p.m., Sevilla vs Real Madrid
Sunday, 28th May, 10:30 p.m., Valencia vs Espanyol
Sunday, 28th May, 10:30 p.m., Cadiz vs Celta Vigo
Sunday, 28th May, 10:30 p.m., Athletic Club vs Elche
Sunday, 28th May, 10:30 p.m., Girona vs Real Betis
Sunday, 28th May, 10:30 p.m., Getafe vs Osasuna
Sunday, 28th May, 10:30 p.m., Barcelona vs Mallorca
Sunday, 28th May, 10:30 p.m., Atletico Madrid vs Real Sociedad
Sunday, 28th May, 10:30 p.m., Almeria vs Valladolid
Sunday, 28th May, 10:30 p.m., Rayo Vallecano vs Villarreal
Also read: Real Madrid will play Sevilla with several players injured
