Diego Milito scored a vital equaliser 15 minutes from time to secure 10-man Real Zaragoza a point at Recreativo Huelva and give them the final UEFA Cup spot.
Heading into the final fixture, Victor Fernandez's men were fifth, needing at least a point to secure one of two European qualification spots and they did just enough although they did drop to sixth.
But it all had looked so improbable after the opening hour which saw the hosts take the lead via an early goal from Javi Guerrero.
The task looked even more difficult when Gerard Pique saw red shortly after the hour mark, before Milito gave them a vital draw to qualify them alongside Villarreal, while Atletico Madrid finished seventh.
The hosts were ahead in just the third minute when a darting run and cross by Ikechukwu Uche picked out Guerrero in the centre of the penalty area and he finished superbly with a left-foot volley beyond Cesar Sanchez.
And the pressure continued in the seventh minute, a teasing corner from Tornavaca Aitor met by a drilled header from Jesus Vazquez which was inches over.
The visitors' first chance came on the quarter-hour mark, an ambitious 25-yard strike from Pablo Aimar flying into the crowd, before the Argentinian wasted a good chance by heading Andres D'Alessandro's flighted cross well over the bar.
Yet another chance fell to Aimar in the 35th minute, this time Albert Celades the provider, but the shot was straight at Bertrand Laquiat, who easily held on in the home goal.
The final chance of the half fell to Angel Lafita, but was again wasted as Zaragoza continued to struggle in front of goal.
Both sides failed to create much after the restart and the visitors' frustration looked to be boiling over when Pique saw red in the 62nd minute for a professional foul on substitute Florent Sinama Pongolle immediately after his introduction.
The Frenchman was not fazed and created the first opening of the half a minute later by testing Cesar with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, which the visiting goalkeeper did well to hold on to.
Despite being down to 10 men, Zaragoza never gave in and Henrique Ewerthon's powerful header tested Laquiat.
Milito eventually grabbed the equaliser with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area - the cross coming from Aimar on the right.
Both sides struggled to create much in the final quarter as Fernandez's men held on for a nervous point.
But it all had looked so improbable after the opening hour which saw the hosts take the lead via an early goal from Javi Guerrero.
The task looked even more difficult when Gerard Pique saw red shortly after the hour mark, before Milito gave them a vital draw to qualify them alongside Villarreal, while Atletico Madrid finished seventh.
The hosts were ahead in just the third minute when a darting run and cross by Ikechukwu Uche picked out Guerrero in the centre of the penalty area and he finished superbly with a left-foot volley beyond Cesar Sanchez.
And the pressure continued in the seventh minute, a teasing corner from Tornavaca Aitor met by a drilled header from Jesus Vazquez which was inches over.
The visitors' first chance came on the quarter-hour mark, an ambitious 25-yard strike from Pablo Aimar flying into the crowd, before the Argentinian wasted a good chance by heading Andres D'Alessandro's flighted cross well over the bar.
Yet another chance fell to Aimar in the 35th minute, this time Albert Celades the provider, but the shot was straight at Bertrand Laquiat, who easily held on in the home goal.
The final chance of the half fell to Angel Lafita, but was again wasted as Zaragoza continued to struggle in front of goal.
Both sides failed to create much after the restart and the visitors' frustration looked to be boiling over when Pique saw red in the 62nd minute for a professional foul on substitute Florent Sinama Pongolle immediately after his introduction.
The Frenchman was not fazed and created the first opening of the half a minute later by testing Cesar with a shot from the edge of the penalty area, which the visiting goalkeeper did well to hold on to.
Despite being down to 10 men, Zaragoza never gave in and Henrique Ewerthon's powerful header tested Laquiat.
Milito eventually grabbed the equaliser with a low shot from the edge of the penalty area - the cross coming from Aimar on the right.
Both sides struggled to create much in the final quarter as Fernandez's men held on for a nervous point.
Copyright (c) Press Association
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