Andalusia could be set to lose three of its five sides in La Liga this year, with the current relegation zone occupied exclusively from Spain’s largest region. Granada’s 2-0 win over Cadiz on Tuesday evening started 2024 on the right foot for Los Nazaries, and got them back into the mix for survival.
Almeria, unfortunately look down and out, with the season half-way through. They are still yet to win this season, and with the gap to safety now up to 11 points, there may be one or two considering building for next season already. It’s unlikely you would see valuable odds on them to go down if you take Coral’s offer for new customers, but the rest might be of interest.
Above them are Granada, who have been looking increasingly desperate under Alexander Medina, but their win over Cadiz has reduced the gap to five points, and striking distance. Four ahead of them, and just one shy of safety, Cadiz slipped into the drop zone for the first time in 318 days. They have the experience and track record of getting out of trouble, but no side has scored less goals than the Yellow Submarine this season.
Real Betis (7th, 28 points) are the only side that can consider themselves to be operating in a different realm, but it was their defeat to Celta Vigo that lifted the Galicians out of the drop zone. Rafael Benitez’s side have not been vintage this season, but are steadily improving, and of the bottom four, undoubtedly have the most quality at their disposal.
Sevilla are the crisis club, and despite new President Jose Maria del Nido Carrasco declaring he had no concern over relegation, they are still just a point above Cadiz (16 points). Quique Sanchez Flores will be looking to lift them well clear, but given their form over the last two seasons, there is little to suggest that it can be assumed they will.
Right up until Osasuna in 12th (19 points), none of Villarreal (13th, 19 points), Real Mallorca (14th, 18 points) or Alaves (15th, 17 points) will be sitting comfortably either. Yet the first three of those will all back themselves to get out of it. Alaves and Celta will hope to do so, but seem likely to be the Basque and Galician representatives in the royal rumble for relegation this season.
Cadiz and Granada will probably be the favourites to go down out of that bottom five, and their result this week could prove decisive for the end of the season. Coming off the Christmas break, those three points could have left Granada somewhat adrift, and Cadiz perhaps worrying primarily about just Celta. However the strikes from Myrto Uzuni and Bryan Zaragoza have opened things up at the bottom.
Somebody has got to go unfortunately.
Would love to see Granada remain though.