Matchday 37 marked the definitive closure of the 2023/2024 LaLiga season. A season full of stories that ends a week earlier than expected. The mathematical relegation of Cádiz has caused us to have the blandest final match day in the last century. We have not had a last set of matches in which everything is decided since the 1930/1931 season. It is a shame, but in the 37th match day edition of LaLiga Overtime there is plenty to talk about.
LaLiga Overtime – Match Day #37:
The finishing touch to Arrasate’s Osasuna:
Jagoba Arrasate is living history at Club Atlético Osasuna. His arrival in 2018 turned arround a club that was floundering. He achieved promotion to the First Division and, when the situation was critical, the club always showed its gratitude and confidence in the coach. It has been six successful seasons in Pamplona with a pseudo-qualification to the Conference League and a Copa del Rey final as the highlights.
After announcing his departure at the end of the season on the 26th of March and with the team in a position to avoid relegation comfortably, the last matches have been the fairwell tour of the manager. A tour that has ended on a high note away from home.
At a stage like Metropolitano, unassailable throughout the season, Osasuna put the finishing touch to Arrasate’s stint at the club. A 1-4 win that will be remembered for time to come and that reflects the titanic work of Arrasate at Osasuna. No matter what his next destination is, Pamplona will always keep Jagoba in its heart.
This is why Darder returned to Mallorca:
The signing of the summer at Mallorca was Sergi Darder. The midfielder, born in the island, was the cherry on top for a roster with which Javier Aguirre could even dream of having a hostoric season. They managed to do it in the Copa del Rey by reaching a final which they would go on to lose in the penalty shootout against Athletic Club. Nevertheless, the Balearic side was struggling in the league and was flirting with relegation.
The duel against Almería was critical, as a loss could leave Mallorca in a delicate situation before the final match day. The team managed by Pepe Mel would get ahead twice, with a second goal by Bruno Langa that is, in my opinion, the best of this year’s championship.
Mallorca, as the ending song of Shrek 2 says, needed a hero, and Sergi Darder became just that. A complicated season that ends on a positive note with two goals that guarantee they will avoid relegation. Darder came home for moments like this, to be Mallorca’s hero. Consequently, he deserved to be one of the protagonists of this week’s LaLiga Overtime.
And Cádiz drowned:
The year started off great for Cádiz, with two wins in the first four match days that predicted a more relaxed season. Far from reality, they have undergone a season to forget. They went six months without winning and more than a year without collecting the three points away from home. Results that practically condemn you to the hell that is the Second Division.
They attempted to resurrect in the last weeks of the championship under Mauricio Pellegrino by winning two matches in a row, but against Las Palmas, everything fell into place. It was pretty much a suicidal mission and Cádiz could not pull it off. A 0-0 result that means they will be relegated after not achieving stability over the course of the season.
After four years at the top, the Second Division, a hellish league, awaits Cádiz. I would like to send a hug to all of their fanbase. Cádiz may have drowned, but you will be the ones to keep the club afloat.
Translated by Nuño Alonso.
Main image: Edit by Pablo Benítez.
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