The 27th round of the Spanish Football League witnessed unforgettable football excitement, as Osasuna escaped a certain defeat against their guest Real Mallorca, turning a two-goal deficit into a valuable 2-2 draw in the final moments of the match held on Saturday.
Exciting return details in Pamplona
The match seemed to be going one way in favor of the visitors, as Real Mallorca appeared poised for a crucial victory that would boost their survival hopes. Kosovo international striker Vedat Muriqi was in fine form, scoring both goals for his team in the 35th and 61st minutes. With this impressive performance, Muriqi increased his goal tally to 16, placing him second in the La Liga top scorers list, seven goals behind leader Kylian Mbappé of Real Madrid.
Despite falling behind, Osasuna displayed a fighting spirit typical of La Liga , which are never truly over until the final whistle. The home side rallied in the last five minutes, with Kike Barja pulling a goal back in the 89th minute, before Croatian Ante Budimir sparked wild celebrations in the stands by scoring a dramatic equalizer in the fourth minute of stoppage time (90+4). Budimir's goal took his tally to 13, putting him joint third in the top scorers' list alongside Barcelona's Lamine Djamel.
The result's impact on the relegation battle and the safe positions
This result is of paramount importance in the overall standings, as Osasuna strengthened their position in the safe zone, occupying tenth place with 34 points. Conversely, the draw dealt a significant blow to the ambitions of Real Mallorca, who languish in eighteenth place (one of the relegation spots) with 25 points, having squandered two points that were within their grasp.
The match was marked by high tension, which was reflected in the refereeing decisions. Both teams finished the game with ten players after Mallorca striker Yann Virgili was sent off in the 73rd minute, and Osasuna striker Raúl García in the 82nd minute. These events demonstrate the immense psychological pressure that clubs experience in the final third of the season, where every point becomes crucial in determining the teams' future, whether in European competition or the struggle to avoid relegation.
Girona and Levante... a recurring scenario in La Liga
In another match of the same round, the scenario of late goals repeated itself, as Girona waited until the fourth minute of stoppage time to capitalize on Levante's numerical disadvantage and secure a 1-1 draw through Joel Roca. Levante had taken the lead through Carlos Espi in the 50th minute, but the dismissal of their player Ander Olasagaste in the 59th minute turned the tide. With this draw, Girona raised their tally to 31 points in twelfth place, while Levante remained in a precarious position in nineteenth place, second from bottom, with 22 points.
The matches of this crucial round of the Spanish League with fiery encounters, most notably the meeting between Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad, and Athletic Bilbao and Barcelona, while the round will conclude on Monday with a match between Espanyol and Real Oviedo.
