Although it was something that was taken for granted after the good performance of UD Ibiza during the first round of the championship, repeating their presence in professional football is not at all easy for a newly promoted team. Real Sociedad B and Amorebieta, who are seven points away from salvation, are good proof of this. Historic clubs such as Malaga, Real Zaragoza and Sporting Gijon are also having a hard time securing their place in the division, and renowned clubs from Madrid such as Fuenlabrada and Alcorcon are already in the bronze division.
The spectacular and prestigious victory achieved by the UD Ibiza against SD Eibar on Sunday at Can Misses in front of 5,000 spectators (2-0), served to reverse a negative dynamic and to virtually seal their position by reaching the symbolic figure of 47 points, which has traditionally marked the cut-off for demotion.
With seven rounds remaining and 21 points in dispute for the conclusion of LaLiga SmartBank, UD Ibiza has a 16-point buffer over the bottom of the table, so they can breathe easy and enjoy an exciting and decisive final stretch of the competition for many teams.
The undisputed victory against the leader and the emotions of the celestial team, which also recovered the ‘feeling’ with their fans in Can Misses, creates a new scenario in which Paco Jémez‘s team has little or nothing to lose. On the other hand, although there are seven points separating them from the play-offs, the narrow margins reigning in the top half of the standings makes any kind of prognosis difficult. Jémez himself, who after the disaster at Lezama had suggested forgetting the fight for sixth place, acknowledged after the victory over Eibar that “winning four games in a row” would give them “another chance” to keep dreaming.
Burgos (12th), Las Palmas (7th), Sporting (17th) and Lugo (15th) will mark the new path of UD Ibiza that has come to professional soccer to stay.
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