Fallen Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, racked by financial worries and a criminal investigation, dropped out of the Spanish Primera Liga after 65 years yesterday when a 2-2 draw with Real Oviedo saw them doomed to relegation.
At the other end of the table, nobody wants to win the title - Barcelona and Real Madrid losing at home on Saturday and Deportivo La Coruna only managing a 2-2 home draw against Champions League contenders Real Zaragoza.
Barcelona crashed 2-0 at home to Rayo Vallecano and were booed off by angry fans as their team now faces ending the season emptyhanded after their 4-1 Champions League semi-final thrashing at Valencia.
They were also kicked out of the Spanish Cup after refusing to play Atletico Madrid in last month's semi-final second leg, saying too many of their players were on international duty. The future of coach Louis Van Gaal, is now in doubt.
Meanwhile Alessandro Del Piero kept Juventus on course for the Italian league title yesterday, scoring his first goal in open play since October 1998 in a 1-0 win over Parma.
Del Piero's 60th minute strike maintained Juventus' two-point lead over Lazio, who beat Bologna 3-2, before next Sunday's last match of the season at Perugia.
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