Sevilla boost top-four bid, Mallorca stay alive by thrashing Celta

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:15 am

Sevilla players celebrate after an Oliver Torres goal against Leganes.
Sevilla players celebrate after an Oliver Torres goal against Leganes.
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Sevilla boosted their chances of qualifying for the Champions League by beating struggling Leganes 3-0 away from home to tighten their grip on fourth place in La Liga and send their opponents tumbling closer to relegation.

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Midfielder Oliver Torres scored twice before the interval to give Julen Lopetegui's side control while forward Munir El Haddadi rounded off the scoring late on to crown Sevilla's first win in five matches, having drawn their last four fixtures.

The victory took fourth-placed Sevilla on to 57 points after 33 games, five ahead of Getafe in fifth, although the Madrid side have a game in hand.

Leganes, meanwhile, edged closer to being relegated for the first time since reaching the top flight in 2016 as they are nine points from escaping the relegation zone with only 15 points left to fight for.

Earlier on Tuesday, Real Mallorca breathed life into their La Liga survival hopes by thrashing Celta Vigo 5-1 in a relegation tussle, earning victory for the first time since the season returned after the coronavirus stoppage.

The home side made an ideal start when Ante Budimir converted from the penalty spot in the 13th minute after a VAR review which took over five minutes to determine that Dani Rodriguez had been felled by visiting forward Santi Mina.

Celta's Jeison Murillo almost equalised but Mallorca keeper Manolo Reina swiped the shot away just before the whole ball had crossed the goal-line, and the hosts stretched their lead before halftime with goals from Cucho Hernandez and Alejandro Pozo.

Celta forward Iago Aspas scored from the penalty spot early in the second half to reduce the deficit but Mallorca came immediately back at them with a second strike from Budimir, while Salva Sevilla completed the rout on the hour-mark.

Mallorca are still 18th in the standings after 33 games but moved to within five points of 17th-placed Celta, who secured a shock 2-2 draw against champions Barcelona on Saturday.