Athletic Bilbao ease to victory as Sevilla focus on Europa League final

Athletic Bilbao sealed fifth place in the Primera Division by beating a much-changed Sevilla team 3-1 as long-serving captain Carlos Gurpegi played his final game.Aritz Aduriz got the carnival atmosphere started by tapping in from close range after 11 minutes and added another in the 31st minute, although Juan Munoz reduced the deficit early in the second half.Timothee Kolodziejczak was given a straight card for the visitors just after that goal and Raul Garcia capitalised on the home side's numerical advantage by heading in the third.Athletic pip Celta Vigo to fifth place and qualify directly for the group stages of next season's Europa League, avoiding a play-off, while Sevilla finish seventh, and need to win either the Copa del Rey or the the Europa League to get back into European competition next season.Sevilla coach Unai Emery's mind was clearly on Wednesday's Europa League final against Liverpool and he sent out a largely inexperienced team at San Mames, for his team's last chance to win a first away game in the league this season.By contrast Athletic had a double motivation to win, with fifth place at stake and a desire to give one-club man Gurpegi a fitting send-off in his final game before retiring, 14 years after making his debut in 2002.Aduriz pounced on a loose ball in the area to tap in the opener and then took advantage of more slack marking by the visitors to power home the second from inside the area.Twenty-year-old striker Munoz grabbed his first Primera Division goal after the break by turning in Yevhen Konoplyanka's cross, but his hard work was undone by Kolodziejczak's red card, and Garcia then sealed the victory in the 70th minute by heading home Markel Susaeta's cross.