Bilbao sign off fine season with Depor win

Athletic Bilbao rounded off their season with a 2-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruna at San Mames on Saturday to finish eighth in the final Spanish league table.

Bilbao had been fighting for a Europa League spot, lying sixth with six games left, before falling away at the key stage but their eighth place is their best finish in La Liga since 2004 when they were fifth.

There was nothing but pride at stake for Bilbao or Depor, now down in 10th, but Athletic signed off with a comfortable win thanks to goals from Iker Muniain and Javi Martinez.

Bilbao took a 19th minute lead through teenager Muniain who cut inside before firing a terrific curling shot into the corner.

Muniain is the latest product of Bilbao’s impressive youth system and made history in October 2009 when he became the youngest player to score in La Liga at the age of 16 and 289 days.

Martinez, beng watched by several top clubs, netted the second on 77 minutes to seal the win.

Later on Saturday Sevilla and Real Mallorca are in action as they battle it out for fourth place and the final Champions League qualifying spot.

Sevilla are a point ahead of Mallorca, the surprise package of the season, and travel to an Almeria side that have nothing but pride to play for.

It is a special game for Sevilla’s club record signing Alvaro Negredo who made his name at Almeria scoring 32 goals in 70 league matches before joining Sevilla for 15 million euros in the summer.

Mallorca were never expected to be challenging for the top four but under coach Gregorio Manzano they are in with a shot in the final game of the season and need to win at home to Espanyol and hope Sevilla draw or lose.

Elsewhere, Villarreal and Getafe are jostling for sixth place and a Europa League place later on Saturday.

Both sides are on 55 points but Getafe are ahead due to their superior head-to-head record and victory at derby rivals Atletico Madrid, crowned Europa League champions on Wednesday, would secure sixth.

Villarreal are at Real Zaragoza needing a helping hand from Atletico who have nothing to play for in the league and may have their mind on next Wednesday’s Kings Cup final against Sevilla.

The destination of the Spanish league title will be decided on Sunday with champions Barcelona needing to beat Valladolid at Camp Nou to retain their trophy.

Barcelona have notched a record 96 points but Real Madrid are just one point behind meaning Barcelona have to take three points against relegation-threatened Valladolid to win La Liga.

“Tomorrow (Sunday) we?ll be going out to win the game that will make us champions,” said coach Pep Guardiola. “The game with Valladolid will not be over until the final whistle. We have to win the right to be champions.”

Real are at Malaga on Sunday needing to win and hope Barcelona slip-up to steal the title from their grasp after spending virtually the entire season chasing their rivals.

“If we don’t win the league with 98 points it is because another teams deserves it more,” said goalkeeper Iker Casillas. “But reaching that mark, scoring more than 100 goals and conceding among the fewest goals make for a great season in this competition.”

At the bottom five teams battle for survival on the final day of the season with Xerez, Valladolid, Malaga, Tenerife and Racing Santander all in danger.