The 2021/22 campaign has brought us La Liga highlights aplenty but there’s still time for some more with three weeks remaining.
This was clear again over the weekend, particularly from those desperately trying to cling onto their top-flight status.
Granada hit six of the best in the nick of time
When you have won just once in the league since December, then it’s hardly surprising if you are in trouble.
That is the reality facing Granada, surprise Europa League quarter-finalists just over a year ago, but now fighting for their La Liga futures.
The importance of a clash with Real Mallorca then, a point above them and outside the relegation zone, was clear.
What followed was a score the SBOTOP La Liga betting odds didn’t even predict.
After the visitors took an early lead through Luis Suarez, Mallorca responded well and for much of the first half looked the better side, drawing level when Vedat Muriqi laid the ball back for Salva Sevilla to rasp a long-range effort into the corner.
That felt significant at the time. Yet just a minute into the second half Sergio Escudero played a one-two with Antonio Puertas who nipped clear and found the corner of the net.
Less than 10 minutes later, Puertas had one of his own – backheeling a Jorge Molina cross into the net from close range. Again Mallorca mustered a response through a Antonio Raillo header.
Cue 40 year-old Molina.
If he had set up Puertas’ goal within five minutes of entering the fray, he soon took control of the match.
Picking up the ball in midfield he turned and fired a precise effort along the ground inside the left post to make it 4-2.
He then laid the ball into the path of Myrto Uzuni for number five before Molina twisted, turned and fired in the sixth in the final minute.
He may just have saved the day for his employers.
Not that Cadiz and Levante are finished – far from it, in fact.
Cadiz leave it late
The former gave themselves a renewed chance of survival thanks to a 3-0 win at home to Elche.
Sergio Gonzalez’s side continued their recent run of positive form with a dominant second half display, even though they had to wait until the final 10 minutes to secure a breakthrough.
Elche were forced to play the final 20 minutes with ten men and there was 10 left on the clock when veteran Alvaro Negredo nodded the home side in front from close range.
A defensive blunder gifted Ruben Sobrino a second goal and Anthony Lozano wrapped it up in added time.
Levante finish Friday night with a flourish
Levante are still alive too – just!
That’s after Gonzalo Melero kept his cool to slot home a last-minute penalty to clinch a vital three points.
It was a result which kept alive their faint survival hopes and also damaged Real Sociedad’s top five aspirations.
Veteran David Silva had headed them level after Jorge Miramon edged the hosts in front early in the second period.
Sociedad remain in touch with Real Betis though after they lost to their own last-gasp goal as Barcelona confirmed the runners-up position behind Carlo Ancelotti’s aces, arch rivals Real Madrid.
Xavi seals second spot
Barcelona players gave their Betis counterparts a guard of honour before kick-off following the hosts recent Copa del Rey win over Valencia.
It was an entertaining game with Ronald Araujo’s header tipped onto the bar by Betis keeper Rui Silva, and Betis’ Guido Rodriguez striking the post.
Xavi’s side led when Ansu Fati, just off the bench, shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box – his first La Liga goal since November after a campaign impacted by injury. Former Barca defender Marc Bartra headed Betis level moments later but Jordi Alba volleyed in Dani Alves cross in the fourth minute of stoppage time to seal the points and second place.
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