Fuenlabrada loses to Deportivo La Coruna, misses La Liga playoff spot
Fuenlabrada hopes of securing a promotion playoff place came to an end on Friday as the side lost 2-1 to Deportivo La Coruna.
Published : Aug 08, 2020 10:13 IST
Spanish second division side Fuenlabrada failed to secure a promotion playoff place after a 2-1 defeat at Deportivo La Coruna on Friday, having fielded only seven professional players because the majority of the squad was infected with COVID-19.
Fuenlabrada, which needed a draw against already-relegated Deportivo to secure sixth spot in the standings and the final playoff berth at the expense of Elche, went ahead in the 10th minute through Pathe Ciss.
But Deportivo forward Claudio Beauvue equalised in the 85th and converted a penalty in added time that was awarded after a VAR review, leaving Fuenlabrada's players visibly distraught and in tears when the full-time whistle came.
Fuenlabrada finished seventh, meaning Elche clung on to the final playoff berth and will meet Real Zaragoza in a two-legged semifinal next week, with Girona and Almeria contesting the other tie.
The match took place 19 days after it was scheduled to be played as a total of 28 members of Fuenlabrada's squad and staff tested positive for the novel coronavirus, forcing many players to be quarantined in their hotel in Coruna for over two weeks.
The decision to play the other 10 matches on the final day of the season incensed a number of clubs, including Deportivo and Numancia, who were both relegated due to other results and on Friday called for La Liga president Javier Tebas to be removed from his post due to his handling of the crisis.