Key Takeaways
- Elche CF have secured three straight wins to move four points clear of the relegation zone, with crucial goals from Pedro Bigas and dominant displays by Affengruber.
- RCD Espanyol remain without victory for 16 consecutive matches, leaving manager Manolo Gonzalez facing serious questions about his future.
- RCD Mallorca’s Jan Virgili scored a spectacular strike against Deportivo Alavés, showcasing a finish quality that recalls the legendary David Villa.
Elche CF began April with a narrow 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano. Manager Eder Sarabia faced the press after that match. He stated his firm conviction that the club would retain its top-flight status. He cited the squad’s collective spirit as his main evidence.
Journalists from the travelling press viewed these comments differently. They believed the coach had simply run out of ideas. However, Sarabia’s faith has proved well-placed. The Green-Striped Ones have since claimed three consecutive victories. These wins have lifted them out of the relegation places. They now enjoy a four-point cushion above the drop zone with five games remaining.
Their recent form is remarkable. They have defeated Valencia, Atlético Madrid and Real Oviedo. Only FC Barcelona have collected more points than Elche in the past five matches. Sarabia now urges caution, but the statistics support his optimism. “We have improved our work at set pieces and our high pressing,” he told Cadena SER. “We have not abandoned our core beliefs. We have simply concentrated on small details that we neglected before.”
The Austrian defender, Affengruber, has become the team’s driving force. He scored the opening goal against Atlético Madrid. He then won a penalty and forced a red card by hounding Thiago Almada back to his own penalty area. He also provided the assist for the winner. “When football alone cannot solve the problem, you have Affengruber,” Sarabia praised. “He drags the team forward. When you have that animal behind you…”
Four days later, central defender Pedro Bigas produced his own moment of magic. The 35-year-old veteran struck a powerful shot from 35 yards. The ball arrowed into the top corner to spark the win over Oviedo. Bigas has spent five years at the club. He serves as Sarabia’s first lieutenant. The manager uses him as an example to younger players. The message is simple: if this older player can adapt to our methods, you have no excuse.
The second goal against Oviedo demonstrated their high pressing system. Gonzalo Villar won possession and rolled the ball into the net. This victory marked their first away win of the entire season. When the team returned to the Martínez Valero stadium, supporters and players celebrated together on the pitch. This was football in its purest form.
While Elche find their fighting spirit, Espanyol are losing theirs. Manager Manolo Gonzalez appeared to lose his sense of humour back in February. His side has now gone 16 matches without a win. For the first time since January last year, critics in Barcelona are questioning his position.
Their home match against Levante offered a chance to turn the corner. Espanyol controlled the first hour. However, they could not break down the Levante defence. Only four teams in the division have conceded more goals than Levante this season. Yet Espanyol still failed to score.
Earlier in the campaign, Gonzalez possessed many attacking weapons. Tyrhys Dolan offered pace and skill. Pere Milla provided clever movement. Kike García contributed physical presence. Roberto Fernández brought aggression. Edu Expósito offered a deadly right foot. None of these tools are working now. They have gathered dust.
Milla, García and Fernández are the club’s joint-top scorers with six goals each. Together they account for nearly half of Espanyol’s league goals. Since the winter break began their slide towards the bottom, this trio has scored only five goals between them. At the back, Marko Dmitrović continues to perform well. Yet the team has kept only two clean sheets in 16 matches. They can no longer claim to be miserly or resolute. These were the qualities that saved them last season.
Espanyol sit in 13th place. The gap to the relegation zone has shrunk to five points. They face only one team below them in the remaining fixtures: Sevilla. Both clubs are desperate. Among the teams fighting relegation, Espanyol are in the poorest form. They face a severe mental challenge.
Not every story this week concerned the relegation battle. Some moments transcend league tables. Jan Virgili of RCD Mallorca scored only his second La Liga goal. It may not decide the title or affect the drop. Yet it deserves remembrance.
While Spanish television showed replays of Pedri’s pass for Barcelona, another ex-La Masia talent produced magic. Pablo Torre, playing deep in midfield, sent a cutting pass through six Alavés players. Samú Costa helped the move along. He laid the ball to Virgili.
The young forward took three touches to set himself. Alavés defender Jonny Otto closed only one yard in that time. This merely gave Virgili a better angle to view his shot. He whipped the ball into the top corner. The connection was so clean that he could begin his celebration in one fluid motion. It was the type of finish you see in David Villa’s highlight reels. Torre’s pass drew comparisons to Sergio Busquets. This was top-tier football at its most beautiful.