New Delhi, May 29
With the La Liga Hypermotion season ready to write its final chapter of the season, Real Valladolid have already secured one of the two promotion places, but there's still so much to decide in the final matchday.
Spain's second division, known as La Liga Hypermotion, is famously competitive. It's no different this year, with so many teams still in with a chance of securing promotion up to La Liga EA Sports, the top flight.
Real Valladolid have already mathematically clinched one of the two automatic promotion spots, while the other will either go to CD Leganes or SD Eibar. There is a similar battle for the final playoff spot, as seventh-placed Real Sporting de Gijon still have a chance of entering the top six.
Here's a look at the situation of every team in this promotion race, from second-placed CD Leganes to seventh-placed Real Sporting de Gijon.
CD Leganes (2nd, 71 points)
From Matchday 12 to Matchday 38, CD Leganes were leaders of La Liga Hypermotion. However, they have started to stumble at the worst possible time. Despite their recent run of disappointing results, the team from Madrid could yet clinch automatic promotion in the final matchday by earning a draw or win against Elche CF. That would mean returning to La Liga EA Sports for the first time since 2020.
Remaining fixture: Elche CF (H)
SD Eibar (3rd, 68 points)
After coming ever so close to promotion in each of the past two seasons, SD Eibar endured a terrible start to this campaign under new coach Joseba Etxeberria.
However, the Basque tactician got the team going in the right direction and they have spent a lot of the second half of the season inside the promotion places. Los Armeros still dream of automatic promotion, but they'd require a miraculous final day to overtake CD Leganes, who enter Matchday 42 with a three-point advantage.
Remaining fixture: Real Oviedo (H)
RCD Espanyol (4th, 66 points)
This is just the sixth season that RCD Espanyol have spent outside of Spain's top division in club history. So, they expect to make an immediate return to La Liga. They are giving their best effort to achieve this objective, especially Martin Braithwaite, who is the division's top scorer with 21 goals. He and his teammates know that promotion can only be achieved through the playoffs, and they'll want to enter those knockout ties with some positive momentum.
Remaining fixture: FC Cartagena (H)
Real Oviedo (5th, 64 points)
Real Oviedo currently hold a playoff spot, but they're not yet guaranteed to finish inside the top six and they have a difficult trip to SD Eibar in Matchday 42. Staying in the top six and playing the lottery of the playoffs is the only goal for the Asturian institution when they travel to Ipurua on Sunday.
Remaining fixture: SD Eibar (A)
Real Racing Club de Santander (6th, 64 points)
Real Racing Club de Santander have won three games in a row, but they then suffered a shock defeat at home to Real Zaragoza in Matchday 41. That means they aren't yet guaranteed a playoff berth. Still, as the second-top scorers in the entire division, the northern club certainly have the firepower to win this weekend and to give any opponent a scare in the playoffs.
Remaining fixture: Villarreal B (A)
Real Sporting de Gijon (7th, 62 points)
As one of Spain's most historic clubs, Real Sporting de Gijon fans feel that they've been away from La Liga EA Sports for too long, having last played at that level in 2017.
This season, they've put together a consistent campaign and have been inside the top 10 since Matchday 4. What matters, though, is making sure they reach the top six by the end of Matchday 42. That means beating CD Eldense and hoping one of their northern neighbours, Real Oviedo or Real Racing Club de Santander, slip up.
Remaining fixture: CD Eldense (A)