Sporting consummates its relegation in the most cruel way. The read-and-white strip team did its part and achieved a victory in Eibar that for surely did not deserve, but fate was elusive this time. For forty-five minutes, the miracle seemed possible. The red-and-white strip team was at a match of the permanence. The goal of Burgui, which added to the one that had already scored Aduriz in San Mamés, approached Sporting to the sky of permanence. A goal from Villarreal was expected to complete the full of ideal results, but the drama lurked in the last corner. A goal by Szymanowski for Leganés silenced the Mareona and at the last minute sentenced Sporting to a fate that was forged during the season.
The fatal outcome comes a week soon. The hope of the Sporting fans was in staying alive this Sunday. To do so, the premise that seemed more complicated was that Sporting won in Ipurúa. And finally it was just the only one that was accomplished. The red-and-white strip team had taken for granted the local victories of Athletic and Villarreal against Leganés and Deportivo, but the contenders who want to be in Europe were not up to scratch. The draws of the direct rivals make the Sporting´s victory in Ipurúa sterile, against an Eibar that looked for the victory with all the arguments within its reach.
The relegation was consummated yesterday, on a hot evening in Éibar, but it was prepared slowly and noiseless during the whole disappointing season. Not even the staunchest Sporting fan can deny that his team deserved to fall to Second Division. Leganés and Deportivo showed their faces when it was necessary, they got off the ground the decisive games and they managed to remove the ghost of the relegation. Sporting did not. It failed in key moments. It was defeated playing at home against Deportivo and Málaga and was unable to win in Pamplona against the Osasuna.
It was a tough year for the fans of Sporting, who had to see how the guajes team was taken apart. In return, he designed a project of ´leftovers´, that never managed to connect with the fans. Abelardo, unable to keep the ship afloat and to witness how it sank, moved over and left nothing on the way for Nico Rodriguez. With no brake of any kind, the sports director completed in the winter market the eyesore he had designed during the summer with signings like Traoré.
Neither did the players put their share. The new ones did not deliver what was expected, but many of those who were already in the house performed well below their potential. The poor performance was completed with a handful of harsh remarks off the field.
To make things worse, at the request of the players, but with the consent of the coaches and the board of directors, a barrier was raised between the team and the fans, based on training behind closed doors and some carelessness. The lack of attitude of the team in many moments favored a lack of identification by the fans with their team. However, there was not a single reproach to the footballers, who seem to go scot-free. It's time for Javier Fernández. The maximum shareholder has to exercise as president and begin to take measures to plan the next season efficiently to return to the First Division. The Levante of Muñiz, former player of Sporting, is the best example. Yesterday it was a sad and hard day. But today has to be the first day of the road back to the First Division.
