The roller coaster of permanence

He has not been saved Celtic, that he felt safe a few weeks ago; even the fact that added 10 of the last 15 points did not generate a greater advantage for Valencia; the return of Cádiz, Valladolid and Almería they replace them with skepticism and the struggle for permanence remains on a roller coaster that exposes them all to the landing they occupy now. Getafe and Espanyol.

With four games left, with 12 points at stake, from Celta’s thirteenth place (39 points) to Elche’s last (19 points), there are only two certainties: the loss of the mathematical category for the team of Elche, who, suddenly released and prevailed over Atlético de Madrid, the best team in the second round (1-0), and the other two direct positions in LaLiga Smartbank remain to be decided, where none of the seven feel free.

And there are six more direct confrontations to go: the next day, andl Cádiz-Valladolid; the thirty-sixth, Spanish-Almería; the penultimate, with three clashes concentrated in unity time, with Cádiz-Celta, Valencia-Espanyol and Almería-Valladolid; and the last, with Valladolid-Getafe in Nuevo Zorrilla.

Celta is not calm, although it has the best. Their three consecutive defeats have once again relegated them to an uncomfortable position, although they are still five points clear of Getafe, third from bottom. The light blue team, which seemed out of danger before, entered the sequence with just one win or just three of 18 points in the last six appointments.

The particular difference is not beating any of its direct rivals. Not Valencia or Almería or Getafe, to whom it was lost, or Valladolid or Espanyol, to whom they even.

It remains to host Cádiz, along with their opponents at the bottom of the table. On the penultimate day. Previously, they would visit Athletic Club and host Girona. Later, he will go to the Camp Nou against Barcelona.

VALENCIA, 10 OF 15 POINTS IN THE LAST 5 DAYS… AND STILL AT RISK

Valencia are two points behind, with 37. Even with their current reaction their margin of error has not widened. They’ve won three of their last five matches, they’ve added 10 of their last 15 points, they’re the sixth best team in LaLiga over the last five days… And they’re just three points clear of relegation. It is the need that exists at the bottom to escape from the abyss that comes with four games to go.

One of them will face a direct rival, Espanyol, which they will host in the Mestalla in the penultimate week of the competition (that event will face almost all of them, as Cádiz will also face Celta and Almería against Valladolid). The other three will face him at Real Madrid, at home, and at Mallorca and Betis, away.

As for direct rivalries, in the case of a hypothetical final tie on points in the standings, Valencia beat Celta and Getafe in that case, lost against Almería and Cádiz and even (you have to go to the difference general which at the moment is in his favor) with Valladolid.

ALMERÍA, AGAINST VALLADOLID AND SPANISH IN THE LAST TWO DAYS

Almería is fifteenth. His 36 points, two clear of relegation, gave him after a 3-1 defeat against Osasuna.

They have won only one of their 17 outings in this championship, the result of which will put them in the test of two direct clashes that look final: on the penultimate day they will host Valladolid, on the last one they will visit the Spanish . Previously, he would play at home against Mallorca and as a guest at Real Sociedad.

If he manages to win his two most urgent meetings (and some of his direct rivals do not) he can reach the last two appointments saved. They’ve lost four of their last six games (they’ve also won two of their last four over the same stretch).

He does not lose to any of his direct opponents in the event of a final tie on points. Neither at Celta or at Valencia or at Getafe, which he won in his clashes, or at Cádiz, with whom he balanced it. He should still define it in Valladolid and Spanish.

A VICTORY IN 6 DAYS FOR CÁDIZ AND A CLOSE ‘FINAL’ WITH VALLADOLID

Cádiz, with 35 points, just one clear of relegation, has won just one of its last six games, lost two and has the second-worst overall goal difference for and against (-24) in six team competing to avoid relegation in LaLiga Smartbank. This is relevant, because only the specific difference against Valencia won. He matched it with Getafe, Espanyol and Almería.

And he still has to define it at Valladolid and Celta. They are the two matches marked in red that remain for the yellow team. The first of all, and today in Nuevo Mirandilla against the blanquivioleta team, where they tied with 35 points, marks everything for the future, because it will condition pressure, responsibility, confidence or each of the aspect that matters. at this important stage.

They will also welcome Celta at home, on the penultimate date. Before, he would visit Villarreal, in full competition for Europe, and then he would travel to Elche. The Elche team was relegated, but won the last two games at home. With Rayo Vallecano (4-0) and Atlético de Madrid (1-0). A warning to the group led by Sergio González.

VALLADOLID, 4 LOSSES AND 3 DIRECT FRIENDS BETWEEN INDIGNATION AND ALERT

Valladolid, “angry and sad” at the refereeing errors, is on the brink of the relegation zone. He has 35 points, one more than Getafe. He still regrets the missed penalty against Atlético de Madrid, due to a handball from Saúl Ñíguez. Or the goal that didn’t amount to much this Sunday against Sevilla, with a 0-0 draw, as referee Miguel Ángel Ortiz Arias called for an intermission on his whistle before Sergio Escudero’s shot crossed the net. .

In the midst of this controversy, finally losing 0-3 to the Andalusian team, Valladolid lost the last four games in a row. The 2-1 win with Rayo and Valencia completes the sequence of negative scores, before the four games that will face them against three direct rivals (Cádiz and Almería away and Getafe on the last day at home) and the champion, Barcelona, ​​​​​​to the skunk. Four more losses would send him to Second.

So far, they have not beaten anyone from that area by that particular margin, equaling Valencia, Celta and Espanyol, although with a worse ratio of goals for and against overall in the case of drawing points in any of them, and to be resolved with Cádiz (they lost 0-1 with him in the first round), Almería (they beat him 1-0) and Getafe (they won in their visit to the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez 2-3 ).

GETAFE, 4 LOSSES IN THE LAST 5 DAYS AND THE FINAL VISIT TO VALLADOLID

Coming to the rescue José Bordalás at Getafe, replacing the dismissed Quique Sánchez Flores, currently adds three to nine points. Before the change, the azulón team had lost their two previous games. It continues to decline, as it were, to the point of permanence, with the final visit to Valladolid on the horizon as an absolutely decisive match -or not- depending on its journey there.

This rivalry gives him the condition to rely on himself, with the courage it implies, but with the dire need to win each of the four games remaining, starting today against the already- relegated Elche at the Coliseum, then the Benito Villamarín clash with Betis and later the home clash with Osasuna. The only winner in the ‘face to face’ was Celta. In Almería, Valencia and Espanyol he lost it.

SPANISH, SURVIVE TO BELIEVE

Spanish is the only one of the seven that does not rely on itself. The last one, is four points away from being permanent. Even winning everything does not guarantee survival, although it is very likely if you manage to achieve it.

Up until now, they have connected almost two wins in this League in just two moments of the course. The last, twelve days ago, when they beat Elche (0-1) and Mallorca (2-1) consecutively. Since then, they have won just one of their next eleven matches.

They are, at the same time, nine defeats in the last eleven days, which put the Spanish in the current situation of limitation. It is true that there are two direct confrontations that are one chance (against Valencia, away, and Almería, at home), as has been the case in the last two games. To get there alive, they must also add something against Rayo Vallecano, this weekend, or Atlético de Madrid, next week.

It does not miss its direct confrontations with any of its direct rivals, as it is equal to Celta, Cádiz and Valladolid, but it has only beaten Getafe so far. In the first round, they drew 2-2 with Valencia and fell 3-1 with Almería. If they lose three out of four games they will go into the Second Division, regardless of their rivals’ remaining markers for safety.