The final matchday of Spain’s top-flight La Liga season delivered a full slate of drama, emotional farewells and decisive outcomes on Saturday, with Real Madrid securing a 4-2 victory over Athletic Bilbao to cap a difficult, trophy-less campaign, while two clubs saw their top-flight dreams ended with relegation.
Mallorca picked up a solid 3-0 win over already-relegated Real Oviedo to finish the campaign with 42 points, but the three points were not enough to keep them in the division. Girona, a club that competed in the Champions League just one season prior, also dropped down to the second tier after playing out a tense 1-1 draw with Elche. The result was enough to keep Elche safe, while it sent Girona packing. In a three-way tie for the final relegation and survival spots on 42 points, Levante (16th) and Osasuna (17th) retained their top-flight status thanks to superior head-to-head results against Mallorca, who finished 18th and dropped down.
For newly crowned La Liga champions Barcelona, the final match of the season brought a milestone: star veteran Polish striker Robert Lewandowski found the back of the net in what was his final appearance for the club. However, Barcelona could not hold on for a win, as goals from Javi Guerra, Luis Rioja and Guido Rodriguez gave Valencia a 3-1 comeback victory.
European competition spots were also finalized on Saturday. Celta Vigo locked in their place in next season’s Europa League with a tight 1-0 win over Sevilla, finishing the campaign in sixth position. Getafe claimed seventh place and a spot in the UEFA Conference League with a 1-0 win against Osasuna.
Real Madrid’s match against Athletic Bilbao was marked by emotional farewells. Veteran defender Dani Carvajal, playing his final match for the Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu, set up the opening goal for Gonzalo Garcia, who put the second-place hosts ahead. England star Jude Bellingham followed with a stunning second goal for Madrid before halftime. Just before the break, Athletic Bilbao’s Gorka Guruzeta pulled one back past Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, in what was also head coach Ernesto Valverde’s final match in charge of the side.
Kylian Mbappe, who finished the season as La Liga’s top goalscorer, netted Madrid’s third from outside the 18-yard box, notching his 25th league goal of the campaign. With 10 minutes left to play, Carvajal was subbed off to a warm send-off: players from both Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao formed a guard of honour to celebrate the 34-year-old’s legendary career with the club, as he bid an emotional goodbye to the Bernabeu. Moroccan attacking midfielder Brahim Diaz added a late fourth goal for Madrid, with Athletic’s Urko Izeta scoring a late consolation second. Despite a disappointing trophyless season, Real Madrid ended their campaign on a positive note with the win.
The final match of the entire La Liga season will take place on Sunday, when Villarreal and Atletico Madrid go head-to-head to decide who claims third place in the final table.