Osasuna get fourth
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ByEurosport
Published 16/05/2006 at 21:06 GMT
Osasuna sensationally qualified for the Champions League after beating Valencia 2-1 on Tuesday. Sevilla came agonisingly close to fourth after staging an amazing comeback against Real Madrid, but have to settle for the UEFA Cup after their rivals also won
FOOTBALL 2005-2006 La Liga Osasuna-Valencia Alegría del nuevo equipo de 'Champions' Jornada 38
Image credit: EFE
Real Madrid finished second on 70 points despite their defeat as Valencia were one point behind them both at the start and finish of play.
Osasuna edge Sevilla to fourth despite having a far inferior goal difference due to the head-to-head rule employed in Spain.
The Basques fought through a gritty first-half before taking the lead just after the break, Savo Milosevic beating Santiago Canizares with a trademark header from a Ludovic Delporte cross.
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FOOTBALL 2005-2006 La Liga Osasuna-Valencia Puñal, en pugna con Regueiro Jornada 38
Image credit: EFE
David Lopez made it two soon afterwards after sending a low drive past Canizares, again from a Delporte centre.
David Villa scored a late consolation with a superbly-struck free-kick that puts him level with Samuel Eto'o on 25 goals at the top of the Spanish charts.
SEVILLA FIGHTBACK
Sevilla had gone 2-0 down to Real Madrid after only 27 minutes, David Beckham scoring both goals firstly with a long-range free-kick that eluded players from both sides, and secondly with a great piece of control and a finish between Andrés Palop's legs after a crossfield pass to the right from Roberto Carlos.
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FOOTBALL 2005-2006 La Liga Sevilla-Real Madrid Raúl abraza a Beckham tras el gol del inglés Jornada 38
Image credit: EFE
Cue wild celebrations in Pamplona, the result favouring the home side if it were to stand as expected.
But Sevilla fought back immediately, initially through Jesus Navas who sent home a spectacular strike from the edge of the box on 27 minutes and a minute later when Iker Cassilas spilled a routine Navas cross into the path of Javier Saviola who made no mistake from the edge of the box.
Sevilla then took the lead after 35 minutes when Navas found Luis Fabiano in acres of space on the right wing, his low centre arriving at an unmarked Saviola who flicked it past Cassilas at the near post.
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FOOTBALL 2005-2006 La Liga Sevilla-Real Madrid Luis Fabiano celebra su gol Jornada 38
Image credit: EFE
Real were reeling, and further dreadful defending allowed Sevilla to claim a fourth before half-time when both Sergio Ramos and Albert Mejia continued Real's habit for comedic genius at the back to allow Luis Fabiano to finish with ease.
Zinedine Zidane scored a consolation strike for Real with 71 minutes to go, a fiitting end to an illustrious club career for the Frenchman.
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