La Liga moves games to avoid song fest clash

MADRID • Fans of both Spanish football and music breathed a sigh of relief yesterday after La Liga announced a third set of fixture changes in 12 hours to ensure no matches overlap with the Eurovision Song Contest, which takes place on Saturday.

La Liga has now moved all games involved in the title race, the relegation battle and the fight for places in next season's European competitions to 6pm local time on Saturday.

The Eurovision Song Contest, which usually draws a global television audience of around 200 million, starts three hours later.

Villarreal's match against Real Madrid, who are still in the title race, will now go ahead on Saturday - the same time when leaders Atletico Madrid, who sit two points above their city rivals (81), visit Valladolid.

The race for the league title will go to the final game of the season after Real's 1-0 victory at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, while Atletico produced an epic fightback to beat Osasuna 2-1, with Luis Suarez netting the winner two minutes from time.

Diego Simeone's men will win the league for the first time since 2014 if they beat 19th-placed Valladolid, who need to win to have any chance of escaping relegation.

Many critics had questioned Barcelona's decision to dispense with Suarez last summer as they felt the Uruguay striker was unfairly made a scapegoat for the Catalans' continued failures in the Champions League.

Barca's loss has been Atletico's gain with Suarez firing in a team-leading 20 league goals and his coach sang the 34-year-old veteran's praises afterwards.

"Suarez has so much experience and who better than him to resolve a game like that when it looked to be slipping away from us," Simeone said. "Suarez showed incredible spirit, he has not been scoring recently but he kept on coming close."

On grinding out the win, Suarez added: "Everyone tells you that suffering is part of Atletico's identity but I didn't think we'd suffer that much.

"But that is what this team is about, effort and sacrifice, many people working really hard to ensure the club achieve their objectives. Now we have to rest and prepare for the next game."

While Atletico are within touching distance of the finishing line, Barca, on 76 points, have now failed to win the league for the second successive season after a 2-1 loss to Celta Vigo at the Nou Camp.

Goals in the league scored by La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid forward Luis Suarez this season.

Not only can the hosts, who were reduced to 10 men after Clement Lenglet was sent off seven minutes from time, no longer catch the top two teams, but should they lose to already relegated Eibar on Saturday, Sevilla can also pip them to third place if they beat Alaves.

Local media reported on Sunday that Barca have opened negotiations with former midfielder Xavi Hernandez, who is currently in charge of Qatari side Al-Sadd, as pressure builds on Ronald Koeman after a disappointing first campaign in charge, with only the King's Cup to show.

REUTERS