The results push Sporting to another golden opportunity to experience a season finale without stress. The defeat of Sanse, the relegation team, against Alcorcón (2-4), gives the rojiblancos the option of reaching a distance of eleven points from the penalty zone if they manage to win this afternoon in Burgos. A mattress that would leave the permanence in a crooked campaign for months on track. In El Plantío they will find one of the best venues in the category and a city with intense historical ties to the rojiblancos. Burgos began that mythical salvation marked by Ortiz’s three crosses.
Sporting yesterday starred in a new trip pending radio, mobile and television. The team began traveling to Burgos by coach half an hour after the start of the match between Sanse and Alcorcón at Anoeta. At stake is seeing the distance with the San Sebastian team reduced to five points or maintaining the eight with which the day began with the added opportunity to widen the blow at El Plantío. The second came out. It was not, far from it, a quiet game. Neither for some nor for others. The Sanse went ahead twice in a crazy first quarter of an hour. Two expulsions from Xabi Alonso’s team paved the way for the pottery comeback. The result was the desired one for the rojiblancos interests, since despite the fact that Alcorcón is also in decline, it remains bottom with 21 points. Sanse, fourth from bottom, has 31, while the rojiblancos, seventeenth, are on 39 points.
Half salvation, being prudent, passes through El Plantío this afternoon. The circumstances also give added value to the presence of more than 2,000 Atletico supporters in Castilian lands. Most of them, like the team, spent the night in Burgos to stretch out a very intense weekend in red and white.
The results accompanied José Luis Marti’s team so much that even the score of the match played last Friday, between Girona and Málaga, allows them to open a gap with another of their direct rivals to avoid relegation. The defeat of the malaguistas in Montilivi keeps them with 37 points, below Sporting, and has cost their coach, Natxo González, his job. The Martiricos team wants the Argentine Pablo Guede as a substitute.
Everything points to the fact that the permanence for Sporting may be easier so as not to experience such a tense ending as that of August 1961. It was the date on which it was decided in Palma which team would take over the place left free in the Second Division by Count of Barcelona, who resigned due to economic problems. It was the lifeline for that Sporting, who had dropped to Third in the field, after losing in the promotion against Burgos. To cover the loss of the Catalans, a tournament was organized and Sporting was paired in the semifinals with Castellón. The game ended in a draw after extra time (2-2) and the winner was decided with a coin toss. Ortiz, Atletico captain, won the two previous field draws choosing the cross. The third was also a winner. In the final, the rojiblancos beat Sevilla Atlético.
