Villarreal CF is on the verge of mathematically clinching the third spot in LaLiga, with just three matchdays remaining. The burning question for the *grogueta* faithful is exactly when their team can secure that coveted Champions League position.
The Yellow Submarine will guarantee third place if they beat Sevilla at La Cerámica on Wednesday (7:00 PM CET) and Atlético Madrid fail to defeat Osasuna at El Sadar on Tuesday (9:30 PM CET). Alternatively, a draw against Sevilla combined with an Atlético loss in Pamplona would also seal the deal. In short, Villarreal secures third mathematically if they better Atlético’s result in Pamplona.
Currently sitting third with 69 points, Villarreal holds a six-point lead over fourth-placed Atlético (63 points). A victory this Wednesday would take Marcelino’s side to 72 points, making them unreachable for the Madrid side—provided Atlético cannot win away at Osasuna.
However, if the gap remains with two games to go, the third-place battle isn’t over yet. The head-to-head goal average is still undecided after Villarreal lost 2-0 at the Metropolitano in the first leg, with the return fixture yet to be played at La Cerámica. A draw against Sevilla would also suffice for Villarreal, but only if Atlético loses in Pamplona.
More than 500 Sevilla fans are expected to travel to La Cerámica for Wednesday’s match, a 36th-round fixture. Sevilla has sold over 500 tickets of the 600 allocated by Villarreal, and the club has subsidized much of the bus costs for the journey.
Meanwhile, LaLiga has confirmed the schedule for the final matchday (38th round): all games except Villarreal’s will be played on Saturday, May 23, at 9:00 PM CET. The decisive Villarreal-Atlético Madrid clash will take place on Sunday, May 24, at 9:00 PM CET at La Cerámica.
