In Catalonia, the Camp Nou was celebrating: as a farewell to Jordi Alba and Sergi Busquets, who will leave the club at the end of the season, Barça outclassed Mallorca thanks to a double from Ansu Fati (1st, 24th), and a late goal from Gavi (70th).

It was the Blaugrana club's last match in its historic stadium for quite some time, as the renovation of Camp Nou will prevent Xavi's men from playing there next season, and will be forced to export to the Olympic Stadium of Montjuïc in 2023-2024.

However, a downside marred the party: the young left-back Alejandro Baldé came out injured and grimacing in the 14th minute after a tackle by the Senegalese striker of Mallorca Amath Ndiaye.

Sergio Busquets (l) and Jordi Alba celebrated by Camp Nou for their farewell to FC Barcelona, at the end of the match against Mallorca, May 28, 2023 © Pau BARRENA / AFP

Barça announced during the evening that the 19-year-old Spain international is suffering from a "partial rupture of the external ligament of the right ankle", and that he will be absent between six and seven weeks. He will therefore not be able to join the Roja list for the four-way final of the League of Nations in mid-June in the Netherlands.

Real defeated but qualified

In the poster of this 37th simultaneous day in Spain, Atlético Madrid dominated Real Sociedad 2-1 at the Metropolitano.

Atlético Madrid's French striker Antoine Griezmann scores against Real Sociedad, on May 28, 2023 in Madrid © Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP

Antoine Griezmann, with a goal (37th) and an assist for Nahuel Molina (73rd), once again carried his team on his back, asserting himself as one of the best players in Spain at the end of the season. Alexander Sorloth's goal, at the end of the match (88th), will not change anything.

If the Colchoneros had already validated their ticket for the next edition of the Champions League before the game, the Basques also finished the match with a consolation: the defeat of their first pursuer, Villarreal, 2-1 on the ground of Rayo Vallecano assured them a place in the queen of European competitions, ten years after the last campaign, with (ironically) a young Antoine Griezmann at the spearhead.

Quique Setién's "Yellow Submarine" will have to settle for the Europa League next season, as will Betis Sevilla, who beat Girona 2-1 thanks to a double from Borja Iglesias (47th, 77th).

Keeping on a thread

At the bottom of the ranking, nothing is played yet! Six teams stand in a handkerchief, and two small points separate Cadiz, 13th with 41 points, from Valladolid, 18th and first relegation with 39 points.

The Gaditans, winners 1-0 against Celta Vigo thanks to a goal from Ruben Sobrino (53rd), are close to maintaining, but are not yet mathematically assured.

The only certainty: Espanyol Barcelona, condemned to victory in Valencia, was joined in the very last seconds at 2-2 on an individual exploit of Samuel Lino (2-2), and will therefore evolve in Spanish D2 next season.

Valencia striker Samuel Lino (l) edges Espanyol Barcelona midfielder Sergi Darder, on May 28, 2023 in Valencia © Jose Jordan / AFP

In a stadium partially closed due to the racist shouting that targeted Real Madrid striker Vinicius last weekend, the Catalans equalised and then went in front thanks to Martin Braithwite, but conceded in the final.

As a result, we still do not know the identity of the last team that will join Elche and Espanyol in the Spanish second division next season, and everything will be decided on the 38th and last day of the championship, June 4.

© 2023 AFP