Real Mallorca’s 1-0 victory against UD Las Palmas, thanks to a solitary goal from Uruguayan Giovanni González (29), resulted in Granada’s mathematical relegation before facing Real Madrid. The Granada team joins the already relegated Almería while Mallorca is one step away from ensuring permanence with three days left. Mallorca’s first victory since March could have double value if Cádiz loses or draws against Getafe. Also, it aggravates the streak of Las Palmas, which suffered its eighth consecutive defeat in Son Moix.
The enormous importance of the points at stake for both teams was evident from the start of the match. He attacked Mallorca more, but it cost him a world to generate chances. Las Palmas focused its objective on defending itself, holding on as long as it could in its own half, although it was the first to threaten with a failed header from Marvin Park, the Mallorcan winger on loan from the Real Madrid reserve team to the yellow team.
Nerves took over Son Moix and the Mallorcan coaching staff with some controversial decisions by the referee. And also because Mallorca did not create clear chances against goalkeeper Álvaro Vallés either.
The Mallorcan goal came after a long throw-in by goalkeeper Rajkovic that Jaume Costa fought decisively to set up Gío González. The Uruguayan winger hit a shot that slipped into the Gran Canaria goal, with Muriqi in the middle of the play and possibly offside, which forced the VAR to check the action.
It was the reward for the insistence of the vermillions, forced as they were to add the three points at stake. Las Palmas, with Moleiro replacing Benito in their ranks, tried to react after the restart. The entry of the Tenerife footballer, emerging from the left wing, had a great influence on the visiting game.
His mobility between the lines upset the marks in the Mallorcan defense. Moleiro was able to equalize (min. 61) with a great right hand shot against the right post that forced Rajkovic to show off to deflect the ball into a corner.
García Pimienta reinforced his attack with the entry of Sandro and Munir into the field, but the Mallorcan defensive block responded successfully. The nerves on the field reappeared in the final stretch. LasPalmas went in search of a draw against a Mallorca entrenched behind, defending with everything a victory that places them one step away from permanence. In the end, Gío González’s goal was instrumental in certifying three golden points that could be worth a stay.
For its part, Granada published a letter addressed to its fans signed by president Sophia Yang:
Dear fans,
On behalf of the Board of Directors, as well as on my own behalf, I want to address our social mass for responsibility and commitment to the position I hold.
The season has been very complicated in sporting terms, and the reality is that we have not met expectations or the set objective. I am aware of this and, for that reason, as the highest representative, I want to express myself through these lines.
A year after taking office, we managed to return this entity to the highest category of Spanish football, and even though we knew that we would fight, along with other teams, to avoid relegation positions, the outcome shows that we could have done things better. Being demoted is painful for everyone, and I understand the frustration that comes with it.
We are not going to shirk responsibility or hide our disappointment with this result. The commitment, stability and work of everyone will allow us to solve this sporting setback.
Relegation will in no way make us give up our objectives and ambitions for the future of the Club, and will only make us work harder and more demandingly in our daily lives.
The Club faces great challenges, not all of them under our control, but my objective has always been to be able to face them to guarantee the viability of the entity, and that it can continue to be the repository of values, dreams and joys of all Granada residents.
The players, employees and directors are temporary custodians of the Club, and I do not understand any other way of working than in the conviction that we do what is best for Granada, providing it with the best possible tools to face the future. The Club is solvent, with strong and stable foundations and I am convinced that it will be able to overcome all the challenges it encounters along the way.
I do not want to end this letter without apologizing for any mistakes we may have made, from which we will undoubtedly learn to prevent them from being repeated, while at the same time thanking the team for their unconditional support. I will work tirelessly so that we can once again enjoy the sporting successes that the fans, the entity, the city and the province to which it belongs deserve.
Sophia Yang
Before the start of the match against Real Madrid, the fans called for the resignation of the Chinese board. It is the third relegation of the Granada club since its entry.
