Real Madrid playout goalless draw with Betis; Dovbyk wins top scorer, Unai Simon best keeper awards

Madrid, May 26 (IANS) Real Madrid prepared for next weekend’s Champions League final with a 0-0 draw at home to Betis.

With the title in the bag and nothing to play for, Carlo Ancelotti used the game to rotate his side to try and have his players in the best shape for next Saturday’s match against Borussia Dortmund, but the fact Thibaut Courtois played over an hour in goal, with Andriy Lunin didn’t get a single minute, could be a pointer for the big final.

Nico William scored midway through the second half to give Athletic Club Bilbao a 1-0 win away to Rayo Vallecano in Rayo’s centenary game.

Nico took advantage of great work from Alex Berenguer down the left in the 66th minute, just after Athletic had substituted goalkeeper Unai Simon after he had gone 60 minutes without conceding a goal, to guarantee to win this season’s ‘Zamora’ trophy for the best goalkeeper.

Relegated Almeria said goodbye to La Liga in style as they won 6-1 at home to Cadiz, whose relegation was confirmed last weekend.

Sergio Arribas and Luis Suarez both scored twice, while Gonzalo Melero added an own goal did for Cadiz, who had taken a first-half lead through Brian Ocampo, reports Xinhua.

Girona got the last round of games of the season underway on Friday with a 7-0 demolition of Granada, whose coach Jose Ramon Sandoval announced he was quitting as coach before the game. He criticized players’ attitude at the already-relegated club.

Artem Dovbyk scored a hat-trick to take his tally of league goals to 24 for the season and give him a one-goal lead over Alexander Sorloth, who was unable to overtake him in Villarreal’s 1-1 draw away to Osasuna after suffering a first-half injury.

Ante Budimir put Osasuna ahead with his 17th goal of the season, with Jose Luis Morales leveling in the 57th minute, to see Jagoba Arrasate end his successful spell as Osasuna coach with a draw.

Atletico Madrid ended their season with a 2-0 win away to Real Sociedad thanks to an eighth-minute goal from Samuel Lino and an injury-time strike from Reinildo Mandava, which ended Real Sociedad keeper Alex Remino’s chance of ending the season with the best goalkeeping record.

–IANS

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