Confirmed: The first playoff knockout stage on Thursday and Sunday
LaLiga has just set times for the first play-off matches once the last matchday (42) of the championship ends on Monday
The League has just confirmed that the first knockout stage of the play-off for promotion to the First Division will be played on Thursday, 23rd July, the first-leg tie, and on Sunday 26th July, the second-legged tie. Three of the four teams that will begin the fight to rise up to the Spanish top tier are confirmed: Almería, Girona and Real Zaragoza, who are currently sitting third, fourth and fifth in the standings.
It is still to be decided the fourth side to enter the play-offs, and there are three potential candidates: Fuenlabrada, Elche and Rayo Vallecano.
Almería are looking forward to remaining in the third place and entering the play-offs as the highest ranked club behind the top two-finishing teams, Cadiz and Huesca. The team will have to beat Málaga CF on Monday (9 p.m., Juegos Mediterraneos); if they achieved victory, the Rojiblancos would not need to mind Girona’s result, with whom they are even on points, and Zaragoza, who are behind Almeria just one point behind.
If confirmed the third place, their rivals would be sixth; that is to be decided. The first-leg would be played by the Rojiblancos at home on Thursday 23rd July, and the second-leg at the Mediterraneo on Sunday 26th July. The other play-off games would be played by Girona and Zaragoza.
LaLiga has now scheduled the kick-off times for Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. and for Sunday at 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. The order will be fixed once matchday 42, the last one of the championship, ends this Monday.