What you should know as Cadiz, 9 others settle relegation & UECL scores

The final matchday of the 2022/23 LaLiga season takes centre stage on Sunday night with so much still at stake for ten (10) teams across the table.

Four teams remain in the hunt for the last European qualification spot in the UEFA Europa Conference League, with all four separated by just one point.

Then, there are six teams still at risk of relegation and are separated by just two points going into the decisive last day of the season.

So, there is one last drama in the LaLiga as anything could happen over the course of the final 90 minutes of the season.

All 10 matchday 38 fixtures are split across two kick-off times, five matches that have serious implications for the Conference League and top half of the table get underway from 5:30 pm Nigerian time while the five fixtures that will determine the outcome of the relegation battle are starting at 8 pm.

Going into the final day, CA Osasuna, who currently have 50 points and occupy seventh place, need just a victory to guarantee a return to European competition for the first time since 2007. 

That’s easier said than done, however, because Los Rojillos will be taking on a direct rival, ninth-placed Girona FC, who are just one point behind in the standings.

These are two excellently-coached teams and they should produce a thrilling spectacle, one that Osasuna will have a home advantage for at a packed-out El Sadar. 

Athletic Club may have lost their past two matches, but they still have a chance of sneaking into seventh by this season. 

They travel to the Bernabéu to take on Real Madrid and need to win that fixture and also hope that Osasuna vs Girona FC ends in a draw or an away win.

10th-placed Rayo Vallecano are also just one point behind Osasuna, so will look to capitalise if other results go their way.

The capital city side travel to RCD Mallorca on the final day for what will be departing coach Andoni Iraola’s final match at the club.

Whether they secure European football or not, Isi Palazón, Álvaro García, Raúl de Tomás and co. will want to take the three points.

The other team that could still finish in the top seven is Sevilla FC, who will visit Sadiq Umar’s Real Sociedad that have already secured Champions League football.

Given that Sevilla won their seventh Europa League title on Wednesday, they’ll be joining La Real in next year’s Champions League but could yet shake up the race for seventh and deny the other contenders a European ticket.

Also in the early kick-off time is Samuel Chukwueze’s Villarreal CF vs Atlético de Madrid. While these teams are already certain of their European status for next season, Atleti are jostling for position with Real Madrid for second place.

With Elche CF and RCD Espanyol the two sides already sure of going down to LaLiga SmartBank, the last team to join them will be confirmed on Sunday.

Real Valladolid currently occupy the dreaded 18th position with 39 points, but they face a direct rival in Getafe CF, who are 14th with 41 points.

Therefore, both teams have their fate in their own hands, as a Valladolid win would see them leapfrog Los Azulones.

Besides those two, there are four other clubs at risk. RC Celta are currently just above the drop zone and will have to face LaLiga champions FC Barcelona at home.

But the Galician side has a good record against Barça at the Abanca Balaídos, where they have lost just one of their past seven home league games against the Catalan outfit.

UD Almería are another one at risk of relegation and they will visit already-relegated RCD Espanyol on the final day.

However, the Andalusians have the worst away record in LaLiga Santander, so that won’t be an easy game.

As for Cádiz CF and Valencia CF, they’re both two points clear of the drop zone and within touching distance of safety, but nothing is secured yet.

Los Amarillos could be calling on Nigerian chef Hilda Baci again to help them cook again when they visit Elche CF on the final day while Los Che will go away to Real Betis.

Both Cádiz and Valencia have been playing well in recent weeks, so will look to finish the job on Sunday night when the final standings of this dramatic LaLiga Santander season will be fully confirmed.