Levante relegated by Malaga defeat

Photo credit: AFP

Madrid (AFP) – Levante’s six-year stay in the Spanish top flight came to an end as a 3-1 defeat to Malaga on Monday saw them relegated from La Liga.

Defeat leaves Levante six points behind Rayo Vallecano, Sporting Gijon and Getafe with two games remaining.

However, with Getafe and Sporting still to play each other on Sunday, their relegation to the Segunda Division is mathematically sealed.

Levante could still have a huge part to play in who wins the title and who joins them in being relegated as they host Atletico Madrid on Sunday before travelling to Rayo on the final day of the season.

Barcelona lead Atletico solely thanks to their superior head-to-head record at the top of the table with Real Madrid just a point behind in third.

Jose Luis Morales’s equaliser three minutes before half-time to cancel out Duje Cop’s opener gave Levante hope.

Morales then had another goal controversially ruled out for offside 15 minutes from time.

Cop put Malaga back in front before Chory Castro’s injury time strike sealed Levante’s fate.