Historically in favor

A week has passed since the night rush at Anoeta temporarily put Real in fourth, with eight points adrift of Villarreal and 12 on Betis. The day ended 48 hours later with the Verdiblancos down to nine and the yellows down to seven. The gap is bigger than last week, and there are only five days left. A week of ‘relaxation’ in a realistic environment, with a long weekend off for the squad, serves to prepare for the final stage and also to look to the past, in search of situations similar to the San Sebastian team.

The rivals are swimming against the current, while Real are being carried by history in their favor, towards the Champions League. Never, in the 21st century, has a deficit of seven points or more been overcome to go into the Champions League, with five games remaining. Only Barça, in 2000-2001, came close to this feat. Starting fifth, he raised a six-point lead against Valencia, third after matchday 33, to exit, with a Mallorca that was finally third, in the top continental competition. The ches added four units in five games, for Barça’s 10 and Mallorca’s entire 15.

Villarreal did break the seven-point barrier in 2006-2007, a year to forget for Real, but it was to qualify for the UEFA Cup. In particular, he returned eight in Zaragoza to go from tenth to fifth place after making another perfect one to 15th and whose hands only added five, which served them to join them in Europe . Atlético went to the Intertoto in seventh place, and the victim was Recreativo, who were left without a prize.

little movement in the room

The aforementioned horn comebacks are two isolated examples in the recent history of Spanish competition. In fact, it is very rare for the fourth type to differ in the last five dates of the League. So it only happened seven times in 22 seasons. But of those seven times, three meant a jump for fourth, and not a fall, so there were actually four courses where fourth lost his condition in the last five days.

Espanyol in 2004-2005 (finished fifth), Valencia in 2008-2009 (finished sixth), Mallorca in 2009-2010 (finished fifth) and Getafe in 2018-2019 (finished fifth), are the Examples of teams left without the Champions League jackpot despite stroking it. In those cases, the gains are small or even minimal with five days remaining. They have also in many other seasons finished unchanged in fourth place.

La Real should be calm in that sense, although it is convenient to tie the loot as soon as possible. There remain tough matches like Saturday’s, but some are against teams that can’t play anything. those of imanol they rely on themselves. Three victories would end their presence in the Champions League, while winning two games and drawing one would force Villarreal into outright victory. Match up, gentlemen.