That didn’t seem the case in the closing weeks of La Liga but football games this weekend proved otherwise.
The title may be won, the teams destined for the drop confirmed, but there’s European places to determine.
Sevilla 1-0 Real Sociedad
How Sevilla needed this.
They hadn’t won since defeating Man Utd in the Champions League but that nine match run without a victory finally ended, courtesy of Ever Banega’s penalty two minutes after the restart.
A winning start for Joaquin Caparros in his first game back in charge and a glimmer of hope for the Andalusians in the race for a Europa League spot.
Girona 1-4 Eibar
Their season may be tailing off but the Catalans’ first ever top flight campaign has been an undoubted success.
This late collapse should not take the edge off it, a 4-1 home defeat meaning they have just one victory in their last eight matches.
A first half double from Kike Garcia set Eibar on their way before Joan Jordan and Takashi Inui took advantage of poor home defending late on.
Athletic Bilbao 2-0 Real Betis
A rare moment to cheer in a largely underwhelming campaign for Bilbao.
Late second half goals from Iker Muniain and AritzAduriz secured a 2-0 triumph for the Basque side.
An end to Real Betis’ final late surge, although they remain fifth.
Celta Vigo 1-1 Deportivo La Coruna
You have to hand it to Deportivo La Coruna.
Their recent form may have come too late to save them from relegation but Clarence Seedorf has them showing real character.
A late equaliser from Lucas Perez earned a point at Celta Vigo in the Galician derby and denied Vigo bragging rights in what has been an underwhelming campaign for them too.
Villarreal 1-0 Valencia
Betis’ defeat meant Valencia were celebrating qualifying for the Champions League before this kicked off.
As they enjoyed that feeling, the Yellow Submarine enjoyed the feeling of an 86th minute Mario Gaspar goal.
That has pushed them ever closer to a place in next season’s Europa League.
What a time for the captain to score his first of the campaign.
Malaga 0-3 Alaves
A miserable afternoon in a miserable season for Malaga.
That the bottom club were behind inside three minutes seemed to sum up their campaign in truth.
Manu Garcia, Ermedin Demirovic and Ibai Gomez were the scorers as another fine campaign for Alaves draws to a close.
Atletico Madrid 0-2 RCD Espanyol
Perhaps this is a Europa League hangover.
A surprise home defeat for Atletico, three days after they reached the final of Europe’s second competition, and momentum lost in their bid to seal second place.
Not that Espanyol will care after second half goals from Oscar Melendo, credited as a Stefan Savic own goal, and Leo Baptistao.
A first home league defeat for Atletico.
Las Palmas 0-1 Getafe
Getafe still have the slimmest chance of qualifying for Europe next season.
The relegated Canary Islanders battled hard against opponents weakened by suspensions and injuries.
However, Angel Rodriguez’s late goal means the chase isn’t over yet.
Leganes 0-3 Levante
A five minute spell midway through the second half told the story of this contest.
That’s how long it took Levante to win the game.
Goals from Jose Luis Morales and EnisBardhi, with a free-kick, secured the points with JosebaZaluda dismissed for a foul on Morales in between before Andujar Moreno rounding off the scoring.
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