Dramatic finale as Villarreal gets relegated
Source: Agencies |
May 15, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
VILLARREAL, often touted as a model for smaller clubs to aspire to, was left preparing for life in the second division after it was relegated following a dramatic finale to the La Liga season.
The team known as 'Yellow Submarine' because of its canary colored strip, started the campaign in the Champions League after finishing fourth last year, but went in to Sunday's decider in 16th place and one point above the drop zone. It looked to be safe from the drop as it held Europa League winner Atletico Madrid at bay with minutes left before disaster struck.
Atletico netted the only goal of the game in the 88th minute at a stunned Madrigal, and then, still only needing a draw to survive, Villarreal heard that Rayo Vallecano had scored in time added on to beat Granada 1-0 and send it down.
"I can't believe it," Villarreal vice-president Jose Manuel Llaneza told Spanish television. "I can't believe there can be so much heartache in only five minutes."
Behind him on the pitch, wealthy Ceramics tycoon and club president Fernando Roig was in tears.
"There is the president getting an ovation from the fans. I can't believe it. There is nothing left for us to do but to carry on working."
Villarreal had turned itself into top-flight regulars over the last 12 years, and after reaching the Champions League semifinals in 2006, became accustomed to competing on the European stage.
The club from just north of Valencia combined an attractive brand of attacking football with a productive youth and scouting system, and successfully survived the exits of players such as Diego Forlan and Juan Roman Riquelme. This year, however, the formula fell apart.
Salomon Rondon headed Malaga in front from a corner just after halftime, putting the big-spending club on 58 points ahead of Atletico Madrid and Levante which finished fifth and sixth to secure entry to the Europa League.
Real Zaragoza escaped from the bottom three with a 2-0 victory at Getafe which finished with eight men on the pitch.
Champion Real Madrid signed off with a 4-1 hammering of Real Mallorca at the Bernabeu to set a new La Liga record of 100 points for a season, beating the previous best of 99 achieved by Pep Guardiola's Barcelona in 2010.
The team known as 'Yellow Submarine' because of its canary colored strip, started the campaign in the Champions League after finishing fourth last year, but went in to Sunday's decider in 16th place and one point above the drop zone. It looked to be safe from the drop as it held Europa League winner Atletico Madrid at bay with minutes left before disaster struck.
Atletico netted the only goal of the game in the 88th minute at a stunned Madrigal, and then, still only needing a draw to survive, Villarreal heard that Rayo Vallecano had scored in time added on to beat Granada 1-0 and send it down.
"I can't believe it," Villarreal vice-president Jose Manuel Llaneza told Spanish television. "I can't believe there can be so much heartache in only five minutes."
Behind him on the pitch, wealthy Ceramics tycoon and club president Fernando Roig was in tears.
"There is the president getting an ovation from the fans. I can't believe it. There is nothing left for us to do but to carry on working."
Villarreal had turned itself into top-flight regulars over the last 12 years, and after reaching the Champions League semifinals in 2006, became accustomed to competing on the European stage.
The club from just north of Valencia combined an attractive brand of attacking football with a productive youth and scouting system, and successfully survived the exits of players such as Diego Forlan and Juan Roman Riquelme. This year, however, the formula fell apart.
Salomon Rondon headed Malaga in front from a corner just after halftime, putting the big-spending club on 58 points ahead of Atletico Madrid and Levante which finished fifth and sixth to secure entry to the Europa League.
Real Zaragoza escaped from the bottom three with a 2-0 victory at Getafe which finished with eight men on the pitch.
Champion Real Madrid signed off with a 4-1 hammering of Real Mallorca at the Bernabeu to set a new La Liga record of 100 points for a season, beating the previous best of 99 achieved by Pep Guardiola's Barcelona in 2010.
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