La Liga Results 2018: Table, Scores and Reaction After Final Week 19 Match

Real Betis moved up six places to eighth in La Liga after they brought the curtain down on Week 19 with a 3-2 triumph over Leganes in Seville.

Los Verdiblancos now sit three points above Leganes and are within touching distance of the European qualification spots, with only a couple of points distancing them from the table's top six.

Cristian Tello gave Betis the lead after clearing up a spilled opportunity for Sergio Leon, and Joaquin doubled Betis' advantage prior to Gerard Gumbau halving the deficit just prior to half-time.

Javier Eraso equalised for the guests with 20 minutes remaining, but Ruben Castro was on hand to condemn the visitors to defeat when he converted a late penalty.

Read on for a recap of Monday's sole La Liga fixture, complete with an updated look at the Spanish top-flight standings after Week 19 drew to a close.

La Liga Standings (Goal Difference)

1. Barcelona 51 (41)

2. Atletico Madrid 42 (20)

3. Valencia 40 (21)

4. Real Madrid 32 (15)

5. Villarreal 31 (5)

6. Sevilla 29 (-5)

7. Eibar 27 (-7)

8. Real Betis 27 (-3)

9. Girona 26 (0)

10. Getafe 26 (+5)

11. Celta Vigo 25 (6)

12. Athletic Bilbao 25 (1)

13. Leganes 24 (-2)

14. Espanyol 24 (-6)

15. Real Sociedad 23 (-1)

16. Alaves 18 (-13)

17. Levante 18 (-11)

18. Deportivo La Coruna 16 (-16)

19. Las Palmas 11 (-32)

20. Malaga 11 (-20)

Visit the Sky Sports website for a breakdown of La Liga's standings in full.

Recap

Betis entered Monday's duel having failed to win in their previous five home outings, losing in three of those, but back-to-back away wins in their last two trips indicated the promise in this team, evidenced in Tello's 20th-minute opener.

Leon was put through one-on-one with Leganes goalkeeper Ivan Cuellar, and Tello was on hand to convert the rebound when he could only fire his attempt straight at the sprawling No. 1. 

Joaquin pressed the hosts' advantage 20 minutes later and went it alone after striding into space down the right side of the Leganes area, battling his way into a one-on-one opportunity of his own.

The midfielder shirked his marker and hammered past Cuellar a shot that the 'keeper couldn't hold despite getting hands to it, advancing what's already been a breakthrough attacking campaign for him, per OptaJose:

Gumbau hauled Leganes back into the fixture on the stroke of half-time, pinging a left-footed drive in off the woodwork to hand his side a lifeline going in at the break.

The hosts' defensive frailties were once again exploited by Eraso after 70 minutes, scoring with his second bite of the cherry to give Leganes hope of clinching a result.

Spanish football writer Colin Millar put Betis' season into context as Los Verdiblancos again came out on the positive end of a thriller thanks to Castro's 83rd-minute spot-kick:

Nordin Amrabat was pulled up for a hand ball inside the box, and Cuellar couldn't keep Castro at bay as the Betis favourite came off the bench to play the role of hero for his club.

Betis' leap up the table takes them to eighth, level on points with seventh-placed Eibar, while Leganes' slide continues after they suffered successive defeats for the first time since November.