Drive to survive

With just three matchdays to go in LaLiga and epic battle is playing out between 13th and 19th to stay in the Spanish top flight.

Forget Drive to Survive, the real thriller this season is in the race to survive in LaLiga. With three games to go, clubs are still switching from fretting about relegation to dreaming of a European spot.

Valencia are a prime example. Out of form heading into matchday 35 and just three points above the drop, fear hung over the club, with discontent bubbling over towards coach Carlos Corberan. A win away to Athletic Club, who themselves have somehow found themselves in the European race, now has Valencia five points from the drop and just two from Europe.

As we head into the final stretch, even 7th place Getafe are not mathematically safe despite occupying a European spot. It is a battle that makes little sense. Every time you think you can predict the trajectory of a team, they pull a result out of the bag.

Depor hold the current record for most points recorded by a relegated team in a twenty team season, when they picked up 43 in 2011. With Alaves on 37 with three to go, that looks unlikely to be broken, but we are still on track for a much higher points tally needed to survive than in previous seasons.

Assuming those on 42 points are safe, this newsletter will take a look at the sides still in the thick of the battle. Girona still have four games, not three, to survive, but as that game is taking place on Monday night, their data might quickly become outdated.

I will also assume that Real Oviedo are all but relegated, given they are nine points from safety.

Levante

Position: 19th
Points: 36
Remaining games: Celta (A), Mallorca (H), Real Betis (A)

Levante refuse to be ruled out of this relegation battle. A 5-1 defeat to local rivals Villarreal on matchday 34 looked like the final nail in the coffin. On Friday night at 21:11 local time, relegation looked all but confirmed as Ante Budimir struck to put Osasuna two goals up at the Ciutat de Valencia.

At 22:47, the game, and their hopes of survival, had been completely turned on their head, with Etta Eyong scoring to put Levante 3-2 up. Levante are easy on the eye and, bar the occasional hammering, have been competitive in most games.

Luis Castro arrived with a mixed reputation, having had a good spell at Dunkerque but taking just two wins from fifteen at Nantes before being sacked. Since taking over at Levante, he has won seven and drawn five of his nineteen games in charge.

On paper, they have two tough away games, but with Celta and Betis both having secured their objectives, they might be able to take advantage.

Despite Levante being newly promoted, relegation would be financially disastrous. The club is in a precarious position, with over €160 million in debt, and having kept the squad together this season when they arguably should have sold a couple of key players to balance the books.

Alaves

Position: 18th
Points: 37
Remaining games: Barcelona (H), Real Oviedo (A), Rayo (H)

It has been a strange season for the Basque club. They have dropped a remarkable 18 points from winning positions this season in the last fifteen minutes of games.

At the weekend, they were again in the lead against rivals Elche before conceding in the 72nd minute. The club has gone through two head coaches, with Eduardo Coudet leaving for River Plate, a move orchestrated by his agent, who owns relegation rivals Elche.

The club brought in veteran coach Quique Sanchez Flores, who has become something of a firefighter in recent years. Many expected him to drag Alaves over the line and keep them solid.

He has overseen some wild games. In his first, Valencia fought back from 2-1 down in the 90th minute to win 3-2. Alaves were 3-0 down after 37 minutes to Celta before incredibly winning 4-3. They have also played out a 3-3, a 2-2, and a 2-4 defeat.

Their last clean sheet was on 14 January, and if that does not change they could be in trouble. They do, however, face three sides with little to play for, albeit one is Barcelona. Their final game sees them play a Rayo side who will be preparing for a Conference League final the following midweek.

Girona

Position: 17th
Points: 38
Remaining games: Rayo (A), Real Sociedad (H), Atleti (A), Elche (H)

Girona looked to have put their relegation fears to bed when they won three games in a row in January. They have won just three of their next fourteen, leaving them teetering above the drop zone.

They do, however, have an extra game compared to their rivals to move further clear. Michel, their coach, has been heavily linked with a move to Ajax this summer and, if that happens, he will want to leave the club in the top flight.

There is always a team dragged into the battle unexpectedly, and Michel has been calling for his players to recognise the situation in recent weeks.

One win from their final four should be enough to keep them safe, but if it goes to the final day, their clash with Elche could be one for the ages.

Elche

Position: 16th
Points: 39
Remaining games: Real Betis (A), Getafe (H), Girona (A)

Elche are the best placed of the newly promoted sides but still find themselves in danger. After a dip in form between January and February, they have won four of their last seven to give themselves hope.

Their home form has been crucial, with 32 of their 39 points coming at the Martinez Valero. Elche have even paid for coaches to take fans to Seville midweek, and with Betis having little to play for, they will hope to take something before a crucial game against Getafe.

That match will be a contrast of styles, with Elche looking to dominate the ball and Getafe aiming to sit deep. If it goes to the final game away at Girona, it could be a fascinating encounter.

Mallorca

Position: 15th
Points: 39
Remaining games: Getafe (A), Levante (A), Real Oviedo (H)

Mallorca have improved since Martin Demichelis took over but remain in the fight. They have two away games before what they will see as a great opportunity on the final day against Real Oviedo.

If they stay up, they will owe a huge debt to Vedat Muriqi and Samu Costa, who have scored 29 of Mallorca’s 43 goals. Both are far too good to be in a relegation battle. It has been an unexpected struggle for a side that had ambitions of Europe at the start of the season.

The American ownership group will also be keen to avoid another relegation, particularly as it marks ten years since they bought the club.

Espanyol

Position: 14th
Points: 39
Remaining games: Athletic (H), Osasuna (A), Real Sociedad (H)

Heading into matchday 18, Espanyol were 17 points clear of the relegation zone and looked certain to challenge for Europe. The Catalan club was praised for its smart recruitment and the faith shown in Manolo Gonzalez, who had gone from being a bus driver to a LaLiga coach.

With three games to go, they sit just two points above the drop, having failed to win in 2026. The club have stuck with Manolo, and after he guided them to safety on the final day last season, they will hope he can do it again.

With Monchi expected to become sporting director, big change is coming, but the immediate question is whether the club can stay up.

Their game against an inconsistent Athletic feels crucial, as the remaining fixtures look particularly tough.

Given the collapse in form, including the late defeat at the Sanchez Pizjuan where Espanyol led before losing 2-1 in stoppage time, confidence will be very low.

Sevilla

Position: 13th
Points: 40
Remaining games: Villarreal (A), Real Madrid (H), Celta (A)

What a difference a week makes. Things looked desperate ahead of Sevilla’s home clash with Real Sociedad. The fans, however, turned the Sanchez Pizjuan into a cauldron, a sea of red and even toilet roll.

If Sevilla stay up, and it remains uncertain, they will owe a huge debt to their supporters, who have dragged this team forward. They have sold out their last two home games, strong support is expected away at Villarreal, and fans have put aside their frustrations with the club’s ownership to rally behind the team.

Sevilla now have real momentum for the first time this season, and one more win would surely be enough to keep them up. Remaining in LaLiga would also help push through a potential takeover and signal a fresh start for the Andalusian giants.

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Let me know who you think are going down this season in the comments below.