Who does not run … it’s becaus it’s flying. Except for Alavés and Levante. The victories of teams such as Cádiz in Barcelona, Elche in Seville or Rayo in the Espanyol field expose the shame of an Alavés that only accumulates 25 points at this point in the film. Those of Julio Velázquez have to receive Villarreal, Espanyol and Cádiz and travel to Vigo and Levante. There are 15 points left in play.
Velázquez has arrived in Vitoria with a speech full of optimism but those feelings do not correspond to what is seen on the pitch. Alavés lost in Pamplona (they deserved the draw), beat Rayo in Vitoria (they did not have to take all three points) and fell in Mallorca (the distribution would have been fairest). He accumulates three points during his time, just the same that he has deserved in the almost 300 minutes played under his baton. He has received three goals and has scored two.
Adding one point per game gives you permanence in case of computing the entire campaign. If you get 38, they are enough to continue next year in LaLiga but, at this point in the season, three by three are needed. Key clashes such as Granada in Mendizorroza and Mallorca in the Balearic Islands have been lost. Along the way, you are an eyewitness to goals like Lucas Pérez’s that gave Cádiz 0-1 at the Camp Nou.
The fans are devastated, convinced that there is nothing to do. The club, officially, continues to make calls for optimism. The template appeals to mathematics and the coach, with a speech that begins to sound hollow, speaks of the total conviction that permanence is going to be achieved. Words, as Laguardia said, are unnecessary. The important thing is the facts.