LaLiga matchdays 33 and 34 are now complete and we have just a fortnight remaining of the 2019/20 season. The last week appears to have cleared up the direction the major battles all look to be heading in. However with four games to go, we still don’t have much certainty with the title and European places all still up for grabs while no club has been mathematically relegated although that is highly like to change this week when Espanyol visit Camp Nou.
LaLiga matchday 33 & 34 results
Tuesday 30th June
Wednesday 1st July
Thursday 2nd July
Friday 3rd July
Saturday 4th July
Sunday 5th July
Monday 6th July
Links lead to the official Youtube highlights.
LaLiga Weekly Review – Matchdays 33 & 34
by Mark Sochon
Ramos firing Los Blancos to the Title – Penalty by Penalty
22 consecutive penalties. Sergio Ramos delivers for Madrid yet again ? pic.twitter.com/mmbi3Svx4F
— B/R Football (@brfootball) July 5, 2020
Having beaten both Getafe and Athletic Club 1-0 over the past week, there are few serious challenges left now for Real Madrid who look to be on the brink of clinching the title. While a few moments of magic aside, their football has seldom been spectacular but they have been very strong defensively and have consistently done just enough to win games since the restart.
They’ve reeled off 7 straight victories now, having failed to put more than 5 straight league wins together before the break. The top scorer in all of LaLiga since the resumption is Sergio Ramos who always tends to step up when it comes to the business end to the season. Late penalties converted by the centre-back secured those two recent 1-0 wins.
Barça finally Click
? @AntoGriezmann ?
?? El Príncipe francés se lució en La Cerámica
?? #SalimosARemontar pic.twitter.com/ArvfvEigsF
— LaLigaTV Bar (#SalimosARemontar ??) (@laligatvbar) July 7, 2020
On a day when the title all but officially slipped away, Barcelona did at least put in arguably their best performance of the entire campaign and certainly their best since Quique Setien took charge in January. With Luis Suarez, Antoine Griezmann and Leo Messi all on the pitch and all operating in central roles, Barça were far too good for an in-form Villarreal with Griezmann’s delicious chip, reminiscent of Messi’s strike at Betis last season, the pick of the goals in a 4-1 win.
Javier Calleja’s tactics may be called into question and many will wonder whether the 4-3-1-2 formation used by Setien will work against teams who set up differently. However this was certainly a rare reason for optimism for Barcelona fans in what has been a difficult season on and off the pitch.
They have played well in patches since the resumption with Riqui Puig impressing too against Celta Vigo and in the 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid on matchday 33. Unless something truly unexpected happens to Real Madrid though, Barcelona now have 4 games to experiment a bit and settle on a system that they want to go with when the Champions League resumes in August.
Ocampos the Hero at both ends for Sevilla
Feliz martes! ???? #VamosMiSevilla pic.twitter.com/W7jHus2t27
— Lucas Ocampos (@Locampos15) July 7, 2020
Sevilla’s 1-0 home win over Eibar on Monday may not exactly sound like the most remarkable of results but it was a fixture that produced an extraordinary finale. Lucas Ocampos, who had opened the scoring for Sevilla, was forced to go in goal in the 5th minute of Stoppage Time after Tomas Vaclik was stretchered off with a serious looking knee injury.
Kike Garcia hit the post in the same incident for the visitors and then in the 102nd minute, the Basques were again denied a leveller as Ocampos saved an effort from none other than Eibar keeper Marko Dmitrovic who had come forward to try and salvage a point for his side. The rebound was poked goalwards by Pablo de Blasis but cleared off the line by Sevilla skipper Jesus Navas to ensure Julen Lopetegui’s side recorded back-to-back wins which have pushed them firmly in the direction of next season’s Champions League.
A Glimmer of Hope for Leganes & Mallorca
Here’s how the bottom of the table looks heading into Matchday 35.
Mid-week fixtures:
Tuesday-Celta v. Atlético
Wednesday: Barcelona v. Espanyol
Thursday: Eibar v. Leganés, Mallorca v. Levante
Friday: Real Madrid v. Alavés pic.twitter.com/OZRLRdMOA4— Celta USA (@CeltaUSA) July 7, 2020
At the other end, Espanyol will be relegated unless they win the Barcelona derby at Camp Nou on Wednesday. They suffered their 5th straight defeat in a 1-0 home loss against fellow strugglers Leganes at the weekend.
That result and the poor form of a few sides just above the relegation zone, gives Leganes a ray of light but in truth they still need something of a miracle. Lega are 7 points from safety with 4 to play but their next game is against 17th placed Eibar. Win that and the task will suddenly seem slightly more doable with a home game against an out of sorts Valencia to follow.
Mallorca are a point better off than Leganes and boosted their chances of safety by thrashing Celta Vigo 5-1 on matchday 33. Defeat at the Wanda Metropolitano on Friday night was expected but victory at home to Leganes this week is essential if they are going to stand any chance going into the final week of the season.
Alaves sack Garitano
Alaves have sacked head coach Asier Garitano and replaced him with Juan Ramón López, who has been appointed as head coach until the end of the season. pic.twitter.com/GJUhVRTxG5
— Football 24/7 (@Foet247Europe) July 6, 2020
As well as Eibar and Celta, the sides at the bottom will now also be looking seriously at Alaves as a side they could potentially overhaul. After 5 straight defeats, culminating in a 1-0 loss against Real Valladolid at the weekend, the Alaves board decided to sack Asier Garitano who has endured a mixed season in charge of the Vitoria club.
Significantly Alaves still have to play both Barcelona and Real Madrid and they have appointed former Malaga boss Juan Muñiz on what is essentially a two week contract. With 35 points on the board, they have the same number as Eibar and Celta Vigo and it could prove that figure is sufficient to keep them in the league. However a really strong finish from either Mallorca or Leganes could leave them vulnerable unless Muñiz can make an instant impact.
