Osasuna and Valladolid suffer relegation
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E-mail Xinhua, May 19, 2014
Osasuna and Valladolid were relegated to the Spanish second division on a dramatic last day of the season which almost ended in tragedy.
Osasuna won their home match against already relegated Betis 2-1, but results in other grounds condemned the team from Pamplona to relegation after 13 seasons in the Primera Liga.
However, there was almost more than a sporting disaster in the El Sadar Stadium as a crash barrier collapsed as the fans celebrated the first goal of the game, scored by Oriol Riera in the 12th minute.
Five people needed to be taken to hospital as a result of their injuries, of which none were serious, while around 20 more fans needed treatment for minor cuts and bruises and play was suspended for almost 40 minutes before restarting.
Carlos Acuna, soon added a second goal and although Chica netted a second half consolation for Betis, there were no further goals and the home fans could only suffer as results elsewhere went against them.
As a result of the 40 minute stoppage in El Sadar the start of the second half of the games where relegation was at stake was delayed by the same period of time to ensure all of the games ran at the same time and that no team was given an unfair advantage.
Almeria's 0-0 draw at home to Athletic Club Bilbao and Getafe's 2-1 win away to Rayo Vallecano meant that the loser of the match between Valladolid and Granada would also go down, while a draw would have condemned both and seen Osasuna escape.
Fate was to play a cruel hand for Valladolid as Stefan Mitrovic deflected a 45th minute free kick into his own net on the stroke of half time.
The second half was a war of nerves as Valladolid did everything to score a goal that would have given them a lifeline, but Granada held on through seven minutes of injury time to ensure their survival.
Meanwhile Saturday saw Atletico Madrid crowned as league champions and on Sunday Diego Simeone's side paraded their trophy through the streets of the capital, ending with a traditional celebration at the Plaza Neptuno, with hundreds of thousands of fans in attendance.
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