This week in LaLiga feels hugely significant in the relegation battle, and that is precisely where all the attention will be focused.
Barcelona have all but secured the title, and the top four appears to be a given, but the bottom half of the table is the most unpredictable in Europe.
Several clubs, including UEFA Conference League semi-finalists Rayo Vallecano, are far from secure with regard to relegation. Some Valencia fans took great offence when I dismissed their beliefs that they could qualify for Europe in recent weeks, instead pointing out that they were still in danger of going down.
Valencia have a tough run of fixtures, but they may have enough depth in the squad to stay up, possibly by the skin of their teeth again, barring a disaster.
I have far less confidence in Sevilla.
Their dismal season was entirely predictable, given that their 17th-place finish last season was followed by a summer window in which their squad somehow got weaker.
One point was the difference between survival and relegation for Los Nervionenses last season, but whilst a miracle saved them last season, their luck may run out this time.
It cannot be understated what a huge disaster relegation would be for the club that won seven Europa Leagues in the last 20 years. Their debt has forced Sergio Ramos to reconsider any takeover, and should they go down, their financial future could be greatly compromised.
Luis Garcia Plaza has been selected as the man to save them in the final seven games of the season, but despite beating what was essentially Atletico Madrid’s ‘B-team’, they have a long way to go to ensure their safety.
Their 17th-place position is currently a false friend: Sevilla arguably have the hardest fixture schedule out of anyone still in the relegation fight. They still have to go to Villarreal and Celta Vigo, and will also face Real Sociedad, Espanyol and Real Madrid at home, all of whom will provide different challenges.
With this in mind, their game against Levante is their ‘easiest’ on paper, but it promises to be anything but.
Luis Castro’s first game in charge of Levante came at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in January, and it was perhaps Sevilla’s worst day of what has been a dismal season. A 3-0 loss at home to the bottom side was a new low, and signalled both signs of life in Levante as well as the danger Sevilla were in.
Estadi Ciutat De Valencia is the setting on Thursday evening for what is the true definition of a six-pointer. A Levante win would put them within touching distance of safety. A defeat would be a huge blow, and one which may consign them to relegation, barring a miracle.
For Sevilla, there is no choice: they have to come away with three points. Back-to-back wins and further distance from the bottom three would be something to build upon. Lose, and there would be major concern heading into the final stretch of the season.
When comparing Sevilla to the other relegation-battling sides, they are seriously lacking in several key areas. Levante have LaLiga Player of the Month Carlos Espi at their disposal, who is firing on all cylinders. Mallorca have Vedat Muriqi and Samu Costa consistently delivering.
Elche have a defined attacking style, and their own 3-2 win over a heavily rotated Atletico Madrid has only put more pressure on Sevilla.
Even Deportivo Alaves have Lucas Boye and Toni Martinez finding the back of the net, even if marginal results haven’t gone their way under Quique Sanchez Flores. Sevilla’s top scorer is Akor Adams, who has netted eight times in LaLiga, with just one in his last four.
What does all of this mean? It essentially shows that Sevilla do not have goals, quality or fight compared to the teams around them, with harder fixtures, and more perilous pressure than anyone else. Put simply, they’re in the toughest position, with the worst possible conditions.
They just need to find ways to win, no matter the performance levels, starting at Levante. A win could see them go four points clear of the drop zone, giving them a slight bit of breathing space, but without any guarantee of safety. It would also likely consign Levante to relegation, as their gap continues to grow.
Losing would see Levante go within two points of Sevilla, and the momentum swing could be defining for both teams as we head into the crunch part of the season. Alaves would be just one point behind Sevilla, with a more favourable run of games, and with more confidence that they can dig themselves out of the drop zone.