The last weekend of the season kicked off early, with Ciudad Murcia losing 1-3 to Poli Ejido on Friday night. A couple of weeks ago the game would have been a tense relegation struggle, but with both sides safe after last weekend's round of matches, the atmosphere was relaxed. Víctor Salas opened the scoring for the visitors early on when he deflected Paco García's shot past José Juan, but Joao Paulo equalised a few minutes later after connecting with Güiza's centre. Salas restored the lead on the half hour mark though and Pedro Vega made it three just a minute after the restart with a shot into the top corner of the net. Ciudad could have pulled one back near the end when they were awarded a penalty for a foul by Cuevas on Llorente, but Carlos Sánchez saved Güiza's spot kick.

All eyes though will be on tomorrow's three matches involving Cádiz, Celta and Eibar, which all kick off at the same time. Celta's appeal to reinstate the three points deducted for disciplinary reasons last week was turned down, and they will have to dispute the two remaining promotion spots with their rivals. (17.06.05)

Cádiz and Celta both won their away games 0-2 on Saturday evening to ensure promotion to the first division. The two sides drew level on points with Alavés, who lost 0-1 at home to Sporting Gijón, a result which means Cádiz are proclaimed second division champions. The other contenders Eibar were held to a 1-1 draw by Racing Ferrol and finished three points off the promotion spots.

Cádiz had a tricky last visit to neighbours Xerez, but although they got off to a nervous start, they never looked back after Oli put them ahead midway through the first half with a long shot which caught Julio Iglesias off his line. Abraham Paz added a second from the penalty spot four minutes after the interval after Mendoza fouled Oli, and it was game over when local defender Bajic got himself sent off a few minutes later for a second bookable offence. The result ensured them of a return to the first division after an absence of twelve years, and there was an added bonus for them when the results were added up at the end of the day, the Andalusians being crowned champions thanks to a better head-to-head goal average in a three way tie at the top.

Celta's nightmare finally came to an end with their 0-2 victory at Lleida, and for the second time in a fortnight their fans celebrated promotion. There was talk before kick off of an appeal to the European Sports Tribunal after their appeal against the decision to dock three points was turned down, and for a few minutes it looked as if it might come to that as Eibar and then Cádiz took the lead in their respective games, leaving the Galicians temporarily out of the promotion spots. But all was forgotten when Jandro beat Rangel with a low shot in off the post on the stroke of half time, and then Eibar's opponents equalised a few minutes after the break. Even so there were some nervous moments until substitute Jesús Perera wrapped things up when he connected with Sergio's cross to score a second near the end.

Eibar ended the day just three points short of a first ever promotion to the top flight after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Racing Ferrol, a disappointment after their win in Celta the week before. For a few minutes they were a first division side though when Llorente put them in front with just over a quarter of an hour gone. But news came in of goals by Cádiz and then Celta, and ten minutes in to the second half club captain Karmona gave away a penalty on Second division Pichichi Mario Bermejo and got himself sent off on the day he was retiring from football. Bermejo converted the kick for his 26th of the season and their dreams were over. The Basque side will now have to start all over again next September, with coach Medilibar moving to Athletic Bilbao and almost three-quarters of the squad leaving the club after loan periods or short term contracts ended.

There was a festival atmosphere a few kilometres down the road though, where Alavés were celebrating their return to the first division after two seasons away. With promotion already in the bag from the week before, manager Chuchi Cos and president Dmitri Piterman gave a run out to some of their lesser used players and paid the price, losing 0-1 to Sporting Gijón and as a result failing to tie up the Second division championship. Both sides had their chances though and keepers Ardouin and Rafa were kept busy throughout. But a headed goal from Pablo Alvarez a quarter of an hour from the end was enough to give the Asturians a good end to an otherwise disappointing season.

All the relegation issues were settled last week, but there was still some interest as reports that Tenerife were struggling to meet their debts to players by the end of July deadline gave them hope that the Canary Islanders could be demoted instead and that one team could be saved from the drop. In the end it was Córdoba who made it to the nineteenth spot, a 0-2 win over Tenerife themselves taking them above the other contenders. Berruet headed the Andalusians into the lead from Cristian Alvarez's corner, and after that the visitors dominated the match. Pierini came close to making it two when he hit the bar late in the first half, and Anderson wrapped things up when he picked up a cross from Ruano to beat Keleman in the opening minutes of the second half.

There was a three way tie between the other relegated sides, Pontevedra catching Salamanca on points after a 4-1 victory over Andoni Goikoetxea's side. The match started with three penalties, Javi Rodríguez starting things off for the locals after Ruano fouled Juan Jesús on the quarter hour mark. Brit levelled the scores after Fede Bahón gave away a second penalty, and Capdevila restored the lead with another spot kick shortly before the interval. Albert Yobo and Javi Rodríguez added two more after the restart to at least give the fans something to cheer about before they return to the doldrums of the second division B.

Terrassa finished off their season with a 1-0 win over Málaga B, a result which took them level on points with Salamanca and Pontevedra. The game got off to a lively start, Maikel and Ador both hitting the woodwork for their respective sides before Juan Carlos opened the scoring in the ninth minute. The Catalans had several opportunities to add to their lead after that, but they could have drawn in the end had Valle not saved a last minute penalty from Alberto after a defender handled in the area.

Recreativo Huelva's hopes of promotion were all but dashed last week, their only mathematical chance being a twenty goal victory over Gimnastic Tarragona and defeats for the teams above them. So they went for an attractive game of football instead, ending with a 4-4 draw in which the Begoña brothers both scored for their respective teams. The Andalusians were two ahead at the break thanks to strikes by Manu Del Moral, and Sergio Francisco pulled one back after the restart before brothers Iker (for the visitors) and Ibon (for the locals) got their goals. Sergio Francisco levelled the scores with his second of the night, but Cheli restored the lead before Manolo Martínez made it all square again near the end. Recre substitute Verza was sent off late on for a second bookable offence.

Valladolid's season was also already over, and they rounded off a disappointing campaign with a 1-2 defeat at the hands of Elche. Nino started things off for the visitors early on after Noguerol headed on a corner, but Víctor set up Losada for the equaliser ten minutes before the break. Nino put his side back in front though soon after the restart, his twentieth of the season, and the only thing the local fans had to applaud after that was the substitution of Torres Gómez, who was retiring from football after this match.

And in the last game of the season, Almería beat Real Murcia 1-0 to move up to fourteenth in the table. With both sides already safe it was a dull game, the only goal coming midway through the first half when Francoli set up Luna to score. Valerio kept out the visiting attack after that, and Juanmi was also in action at the other end as the locals tried to increase their lead. (18.06.05)