First division day 38

Deportivo La Coruña wrapped up second place with a convincing 4-0 victory over Málaga. Djalminha returned to the side in place of the injured Diego Tristán and scored twice, the first in the eighth minute from Makaay's pass and the second just after half time from Víctor's cross. Makaay and Víctor added two more later on to keep them two points ahead of Mallorca. Málaga drop to eighth, and their only hope of European football now is if they enter the Intertoto cup. Mallorca sent Oviedo crashing to the second division with a 4-2 victory, and finish the season in a very respectable third place. They were always in front after Engonga converted a penalty late in the first half, with Oviedo's Rabarivony getting himself sent off in the incident. Eto'o, Ibagaza and Novo scored the rest, with Oli and Iván Ania replying for the Asturians, who join Racing Santander and Numancia in the relegation spots.

A dramatic end to the game between Barcelona and Valencia, with Rivaldo completing a hat-trick with a spectacular overhead kick in the last minute to give his side a 3-2 victory. The win takes them above their rivals on particular goal average into fourth place, giving them the last Champions League spot and leaving Valencia out of the competition for next season. They will have to make do with the UEFA cup, a great disappointment having reached the final for the last two years. Rivaldo twice gave Barcelona the lead, but Baraja equalised both times before Rivaldo's winner at the end. He moves ahead of Javi Moreno in the league top scorers Pichichi chart, but loses out once again to Raúl, who scored both goals as Real Madrid celebrated the league title with a 2-1 victory over Valladolid. Kaviedes levelled the score momentarily for the visitors before Raúl got his 24th of the season, and club captain Manolo Sanchis was presented with the league trophy on the day he retires from professional football.

Osasuna saved themselves with a 0-1 victory against their Basque opponents Real Sociedad. The result was surrounded in controversy as the Real players seemed to give up trying after Iván Rosado had scored the only goal, and confirmed suspicions before the game that they would contrive to help their neighbours stay up. Osasuna's Trzeciak got himself sent off in the last minute for a second bookable offence. Doubts too about the 1-1 draw between Zaragoza and Celta, which enabled Zaragoza to stay in the first division and Celta qualify for the last UEFA cup spot. Catanha opened the scoring for the visitors in the second half and Jamelli equalised shortly afterwards, after which both sides settled for a draw. Zaragoza's Esnaider was sent off for punching Jayo a quarter of an hour into what will surely be his last match for the club. (17.06.01)

Villarreal moved up temporarily at least into seventh place with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Espanyol. Escoda headed them into the lead early on from Craioveanu's cross and Gracia added a second before the break with an individualist goal. In the second half Navas put through his own net just after the restart, and Palermo rounded off the fiesta with a header in the last minute. Villarreal still have an outside chance of qualifying for Europe depending on results in the cup.

The two relegated teams, Racing Santander and Numancia, ended the competition with victories. Racing beat a poor Athletic Bilbao side 3-0 after going in at the break all square. Gustavo Benítez brought on Regueiro at half time and he scored twice and set up another for Mazzoni to give them victory. Bilbao's Larrainzar was sent off in the second half. Numancia beat Alavés 2-1 with goals by Jaume and Iván Pérez. Javi Moreno levelled scores momentarily in the second half with his twenty-second league goal of the season.

In the last match of Saturday night, Las Palmas beat Rayo Vallecano 1-0. The only goal of the game came in the first half from Orlando. Referee Andradas Asurmendi was in charge for the last time before retiring. (16.06.01)