MADRID - Sevilla secured third place in the Primera Liga
and automatic qualification for the Champions League when a
last-minute header from Diego Perotti earned them a 1-0 home win
over Deportivo Coruna on Saturday.
Sevilla have a three-point lead and the head-to-head advantage
over fourth-placed Atletico Madrid with one game left.
Atletico romped to a 4-1 victory away to
Athletic Bilbao, with Diego Forlan netting a
hat-trick in the last 17 minutes to move top in the scoring charts
with 31 goals.
Atletico only need a point from their last game at home to
Almeria to make sure of the final Champions League slot.
Barcelona, with the title wrapped up and one
eye on the Champions League final, fielded a weakened side and lost
1-0 at home to Osasuna.
Walter Pandiani headed Osasuna in front from a first-half corner
and Barca were reduced to 10 men when youth team player Marc
Muniesa was sent off nine minutes from time.
Barca coach Pep Guardiola was sent from the bench as he disputed
the decision. After the match, Barca were presented with their
second trophy of the season. The Catalans have 86 points, eight
ahead of second-placed Real Madrid who host
Real Mallorca on Sunday.
LLORENTE DOUBLE
Villarreal climbed to fifth, two points behind
Atletico, after two goals from Joseba Llorente and one from Cani
gave them a 3-1 victory over near neighbours
Valencia, who slipped to sixth on 59 points.
Llorente's turn and shot and back-post header had Villarreal
two-up before David Villa pulled one back for the visitors. But
Cani produced a great near-post finish from a Robert Pires pass in
the 67th minute.
At the foot of the table, Recreativo Huelva and Numancia were
relegated.
Bottom-placed Recreativo lost 1-0 at home to
Racing Santander, while Numancia
fell 1-0 at Getafe.
Osasuna's victory did not manage to drag them out of the bottom
three. They remain 18th with 40 points behind Sporting Gijon on the
head-to-head rule, after Sporting won 2-1 at
Valladolid.
Five teams - Osasuna, Sporting, Real Betis, Getafe and Valladolid -
will be battling to avoid the last relegation spot in the final
round of matches next weekend.