LANZAROTE INTO THE PLAYOFF POSITIONS AND HOW IT WORKS
The Rojillos recent good form of 4 wins and 3 draws has pushed them up to fourth spot and into the playoff positions with 4 matches remaining.
Lanzarote will end the league season on Sunday 23rd April away versus the already doomed Estrella CF. Before that they face UD Ibarra at home this Sunday 2nd April (time to be confirmed) then a week later away it’s a crunch match against third placed side CF P.P. San Mateo followed by the final home match on the 16th April versus mid table side UD Tamaraceite.
The only side in the league that will be promoted automatically will be the team that finishes top. Lanzarote are six points from that top spot but in reality it is seven points as will be explained.
The four teams that finish below the champions will qualify for the playoffs. Even though Lanzarote have an excellent goal difference this becomes secondary for playoff qualification should teams finish level on points. The team that has the better head to head against their rival will have the advantage, if that is also stalemate then it goes down to goal difference.
The current top two sides CD Mensajero and UD San Fernando are six points ahead of Lanzarote and both have a better head to head record against the Rojillos so effectively Lanzarote would need to claw back seven points to overhaul them.
CD Tenerife B is sitting just outside the playoffs in sixth but only by a single point. If they gain that point on Lanzarote in those next four matches then they would finish above Lanzarote due to the better head to head record between the sides.
The team that finishes the season in second will play the fifth placed side and third will play fourth over two legs beginning on the 30th April with the return match a week later on the 7th May. The winners will meet for a two legged tie beginning on the 14th May and ending the 21st May. The winners of this then meet up in a two legged Gran Final versus a team from mainland Spain with the first match played on the 28th May and the return on the 4th June. It is a very difficult journey to earn promotion to the Segunda Division RFEF (Fourth Tier).
UD Lanzarote´s sole purpose in their final four matches is to qualify for the playoffs finishing as high up the table as possible to gain an advantage of the return leg at home.
One thing is certain and that is manager Mateo García will be taking nothing for granted especially because of those four consecutive defeats which occurred between mid January to mid February.
Do not take these dates as definite as a match can be moved from a Sunday to a Saturday depending on flights.
