The dream of staying up

With 30 points left to play for, there are plenty of sides going into the business end of Liga BBVA with the goal of staying in the division next season. In front of them they have some exciting games, with lots to play for and they will face their direct rivals for survival.

Direct clashes

Bottom of the table Córdoba CF have four tricky away trips: RC Deportivo, Levante UD, Granada CF and on the last day of the season they travel to SD Eibar. Granada, meanwhile also have to face UD Almería and Getafe CF. In the third and final relegation spot are Levante; the Valencian side have to visit Almería, Getafe and Deportivo while also host Córdoba and Elche CF.

Level on points with Levante are Almería, and for their boss Juan Ignacio Martínez, their safety will come with result at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos. Of the 10 remaining games, they have six at home, with two in a row and three against their direct rivals: Levante, Granada and Eibar. Deportivo also have some important dates in the diary, facing Getafe and Córdoba three days apart. In addition, Elche and two of the top four in FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, who they visit in the final game of this year's Liga BBVA, face Deportivo.

Elche have one point more than the Galician side; their boss Fran Escribá spoke after the side's last game that all their remaining fixtures are vital: "We have 10 finals left, we will suffer and, if we don't realise it, we will suffer double". Among these finals, three stand out above all others; the ties against Getafe, Córdoba and Levante. 

The battle for safety sees 16 meetings between direct rivals in the 10 remaining matchdays

After an impeccable first few months in the division, Eibar have been on a bad run in the last few weeks and are in danger. Gaizka Garitano's men will visit some difficult stadiums in the final run such as the Santiago Bernabéu and Mestalla, while also travelling to Almería and Getafe. They will finish their maiden Liga BBVA campaign at Ipurua against another of this season's new boys, Córdoba.

Of the sides in the danger zone, Getafe have the most points, with 29. The Madrid outfit have a fixture list full of challenges ahead, and they have five direct rivals to play in addition to the top two, with Real Madrid coming on the last day.

Giving up is not an option

The last few years of Liga BBVA have produced tense finishes for football fans both at the top and bottom of the table. In 10 games a side's entire history can change.

On matchday 22 of the 202-13 season, RC Celta sat bottom of the table. They were there until the penultimate game of the season, however finished the season a point above the drop zone. Zaragoza experienced similar a year before, in 2011-12. The side from Aragon were propping up the table for 16 matchdays, however their fight saw them remain in Liga BBVA for another season.

The most impressive escape acts have been performed by Málaga CF and RCD Espanyol. The Andalusian outfit got 26 points from their last 10 games in 2011, going from 20th to 11th in the process. Meanwhile, Espnayol racked dup 25 points in 2009, finishing with a total of 47 points to ensure safety, showing that although times are hard, anything can happen.