Bottom side Mallorca value to escape the drop

30May 2013

Primera Division Spanyol

It's D-Day in La Liga as Christian Crowther discusses all the permutations, with four teams facing relegation and two vying for one Champions League spot...

While most of Europe's top leagues have already set up the deckchairs, there is still much to be decided in Spain's Primera division on the last day.

Barcelona may have tika-taka'd their way into the sunset long ago to wrestle their title back, but elsewhere the battles for European qualification and survival are still to be won and lost.

There are no fewer than four teams facing the drop, making it possible for bottom side Mallorca to leapfrog Deportivo should results go their way, despite Depor currently sitting safe as things stand, two points above them on 35 points.

Of course, this is the scenario that West Brom faced a few years back in the Premier League and the Baggies lived to tell the tale.

Mallorca will contest an infinitely winnable home game against an out-of-form Real Valladolid side, who've nothing to play for in 14th, making their lay price for relegation of 1.12 very tempting.

Meanwhile Deportivo, rated at 1.68 outsiders to be relegated, have their fate intertwined with fifth-placed Real Sociedad, who are scrapping it out with Valencia for fourth position.

Sociedad drew 1-1 at home to newly promoted Depor, but must now beat them and hope Valencia drop points against ninth-placed Seville(themselves playing for the Europa League), if they are to achieve the dream of finishing fourth.

Such a feat sees the Basque club rated as the 4.0 outsiders behind Valencia at 1.28 to squeeze the other out and claim the hallowed fourth berth.

Four wins on the spin for Valencia as opposed to one victory in four for Sociedad does add weight to their favouritism on top of their positive starting point.

Elsewhere, the filling in this relegation sandwich is provided by Celta Vigo and Real Zaragoza, locked on 34 points apiece - rated at 1.7 and 1.09 respectively to go down.

Just like Mallorca both sides' hopes sway on Sociedad doing the business over Deportivo.

Zaragoza's outlook is possibly the bleakest, as they face Copa del Rey champs Atletico Madrid, while Celta Vigo have a home game versus Espanyol, who've lost four of their last five.