The result of Saturday’s Copa del Rey final between Athletic Club and Mallorca will have delicate impact on the La Liga campaign.
Some La Liga sides may be watching the final closely as the result will have a direct effect not just on Athletic and Mallorca, but on themselves as well.
Mallorca sit 15th in La Liga, with 31 points from 30 games, six above the relegation zone.
Athletic are fifth place and eyeing a Champions League berth for next season, or at least to return to European competition for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
They have a seven-point advantage over Real Sociedad at sixth, 14 more than Betis at seventh and 15 more than eighth-placed Valencia.
If the season finished now, Athletic would be assured a place in next season’s Europa League, with Real Sociedad qualifying for the Conference League.
However, bearing in mind that the winner of the Copa del Rey also earns a place in the Europa League, if Athletic beats Mallorca, it will claim that spot and there will be a knock-on effect. That effect would see Real Sociedad also moving into the Europa League and Betis taking a spot in the Conference League, with other clubs such as Osasuna, Villarreal and even Getafe all having a reasonable chance of climbing into seventh.
If Mallorca wins the Cup, it will claim the Europa League spot and no side finishing below sixth in La Liga will have a chance of playing in Europe next season.
An estimated 75,000 fans are expected to travel from Bilbao to Sevilla for the Cup final.
