At the halfway stage of the 2024/25 season, it’s Valencia CF, Real Valladolid and RCD Espanyol who occupy the final three positions in the table.
We’ve reached the halfway point of the 2024/25 LaLiga EA Sports season, and it’s ever so tight at the top and at the bottom of the table. While there is a thrilling three-way title race between Atlético de Madrid, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, there are even more teams involved in the relegation battle.
Valencia CF, on 13 points, Real Valladolid, on 15, and RCD Espanyol, on 16, are the three clubs currently inside the bottom three, but several other teams are still at serious risk as well. Deportivo Alavés sit 17th, the final safe spot, but they are just one point clear of the drop zone with their haul of 17 points.
Next up are the southern Madrid neighbours Getafe CF and CD Leganés, in 15th and 16th and tied on 19 points, while 14th-placed UD Las Palmas, on 22 points, aren’t entirely safe either.
Valencia CF and Real Valladolid: New coaches at the bottom two
Since Matchday 8, there have been two constants in the relegation zone: Valencia CF and Real Valladolid. These two clubs have struggled the most so far and it’s no surprise that they’ve each changed coach in recent weeks.
In the case of Real Valladolid, new boss Diego Cocca has overseen three total games so far. After losing to Girona FC in LaLiga EA Sports and suffering Copa del Rey elimination against Ourense CF, Los Blanquivioletas then secured a much-needed league victory in Matchday 19, defeating Real Betis 1-0 at home. It was Cocca’s first win and allowed the team to move off the bottom of the table at the halfway stage.
At Valencia CF, they too made a coaching change by bringing in Carlos Corberán and he too has overseen three fixtures so far, starting off with a very narrow 2-1 defeat against Real Madrid in LaLiga EA Sports, a match in which Los Che played very well and only lost through two late goals. They then overcame CD Eldense 2-0 in the Copa del Rey, before earning an admirable point with a 1-1 draw away at Sevilla FC.
There is a sense at the Estadio José Zorrilla and at Mestalla that the coaching changes were the right choice. Both Real Valladolid and Valencia CF have some ground to make up, but performances have improved under the new tacticians and there is some optimism in the air.
RCD Espanyol and Deportivo Alavés: Two clubs on a downward trajectory
The two clubs directly above Valencia CF and Real Valladolid are RCD Espanyol and Deportivo Alavés, and these are two clubs on a downward trajectory. After five matchdays, the Basque side were sitting eighth and the Catalan outfit were 11th, but their form has dropped off since then. Across the past 10 matchdays, it’s these two teams who have the worst records in LaLiga EA Sports.
At Deportivo Alavés, they have already made a coaching change, and it was a peculiar one as they replaced fan favourite Luis GarcÃa Plaza with Eduardo Coudet.
The Argentinian tactician hasn’t won any of his four league games so far and also oversaw a Copa del Rey elimination against lower-tier CD Minera. That might explain why RCD Espanyol are so far sticking with their coach, Manolo González, who won them promotion through the playoffs last season. But he knows that Los Pericos need to start picking up points soon.
The other clubs in the mix
Several other clubs are looking over their shoulders at the bottom three, with the southern Madrid duo of Getafe CF and CD Leganés both on 19 points and just three above 18th-placed RCD Espanyol. In the case of Geta, they boast the third-best defensive record in the division and this is keeping them in games, while Lega have consistently bounced back well from defeats and haven’t lost two in a row since September.
Then, above them, there’s UD Las Palmas, who have majorly improved under their new coach Diego MartÃnez but who are still at risk on 22 points. There are other clubs who could yet be surprise participants in the relegation battle, especially given how many shocks are thrown up week in week out in LaLiga EA Sports. It’ll be fascinating to watch this relegation battle over the second half of the 2024/25 season.