MALLORCA RELEGATED FROM LALIGA DESPITE THRASHING REAL OVIEDO IN FINAL ROUND
In a dramatic twist at the culmination of the LaLiga season, RCD Mallorca secured a commanding 3-0 victory against Real Oviedo, yet found themselves relegated despite finishing the campaign with 42 points. This marks the highest points total for a relegated team since Deportivo de La Coruna’s unfortunate fate in the 2010/11 season.
Understanding that only a win could salvage their status in LaLiga, the atmosphere inside Estadi Mallorca Son Moix was charged with tension, especially after a lackluster opening from the hosts. The situation nearly turned disastrous early on as David Carmo found an opportunity from close range but failed to convert with a proper header. This near miss seemed to ignite a spark in the Mallorca squad, who then began to apply themselves with vigor, driven by the efforts of standout players Takuma Asano and Vedat Muriqi.
Asano presented the first true chance for the home side, sprinting down the right flank only to see his powerful strike miss the far post. Following him, Muriqi squandered a golden opportunity when he found himself unmarked in the box; he directed his header straight at Horatiu Moldovan, the opposing goalkeeper, who was ready and made the save.
With mounting pressure as results from other matches trickled in against Mallorca, the home crowd caught a reprieve just before halftime. A late cross from Pablo Maffeo, initially appearing overhit, was salvaged by Pablo Torre through a timely run, leading to a well-placed first-time volley that gave Los Piratas a critical lead.
As the game progressed and with Mallorca’s fate hanging by a thread, the home fans were anxiously glued to their devices, monitoring other matches. On the playing field, Mallorca sought to double their lead shortly after the interval when Sergi Darder’s shot, deflected, rattled the post before drifting into the waiting arms of Moldovan. Although the visitors made little attempt to unsettle Leo Roman in goal for Mallorca, the hosts eventually sealed their victory with an 83rd-minute goal when Manu Morlanes volleyed a shot into the ground, producing a bounce that redirected it into the net, marking a 2-0 advantage.
As the match approached its conclusion, Muriqi added yet another goal to his impressive tally of the season, slamming the ball home from close range in the 88th minute, ending the campaign with 23 goals in LaLiga. Despite securing the three points on this fateful day, Mallorca’s relegation was confirmed as they finished in 18th place, ultimately losing out in the tie-breaker against Osasuna and Levante, who also concluded their seasons with 42 points. Meanwhile, Real Oviedo, who had already faced relegation a few weeks prior, ended their season at the bottom of the league table, having not won for seven games.
In the aftermath of the match, Manu Morlanes received acclaim as the Flashscore Man of the Match for his pivotal contributions to the game.
