MX23RW : Tuesday, May 7 02:20:37| >> :600:309086:309086:

Cardiff relegated - where it all went wrong

Cardiff relegated - where it all went wrong
© Reuters
The Bluebirds spent just one season back in the top flight.

Cardiff's relegation from the Premier League was confirmed on Saturday evening following a 2-1 home defeat by Crystal Palace.

Here, Press Association Sport takes a look back at the Bluebirds' season.

Emiliano Sala

A tribute at Cardiff's  Stadium for Emiliano Sala (PA)
Tributes were paid following the death of Emiliano Sala (Aaron Chown/PA)

The £15million club record transfer of Emiliano Sala from Nantes during the January transfer window was supposed to bring the goals to help keep the Bluebirds in the top flight, but ended in tragedy.

The Argentinian striker had been returning to Wales from France when the plane he was aboard crashed in the English channel on January 21. The body of the pilot, David Ibbotson has not been found.

Victor Camarasa

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock (left) and midfielder Victor Camarasa (right) (PA)
Cardiff manager Neil Warnock (left) felt midfielder Victor Camarasa (right) was a key player (Nick Potts/PA)

The continued efforts of Cardiff boss Neil Warnock to get the best out of his squad were not helped by revelations the club were being guided over the fitness of Victor Camarasa by the midfielder's own medical staff.

Camarasa joined the club on loan from Real Betis but had been hampered by a calf problem during February.

Warnock said: "He obviously listens to his physios, his medical people and Tom, Dick and Harry from abroad. He's a very important player for us and it's been a really big disappointment.

"I've never come across the situation I've got at the moment. We're having physios and medical people from abroad telling us what we can do with him when he is our player."

Sol Bamba

The Bluebirds were deprived of dependable defender Sol Bamba for the relegation run-in after the Ivory Coast international ruptured his cruciate knee ligament in the 2-0 defeat at Wolves on March 2.

The 34-year-old had started all except one Premier League match and on the pitch was the driving force behind the team's efforts to beat the odds.

"It is a major blow to the squad," Warnock said, as the news was confirmed Bamba would be set for surgery and a lengthy spell of rehabilitation.

Pitch battles lost

Cardiff Nathaniel Mendez-Laing appears dejected (PA)
Cardiff could not extend their relegation battle into the final weekend of the season (Simon Galloway/PA)

Whatever off-field battles Cardiff had to endure, their fate was ultimately sealed by failing to deliver enough consistent performances on the pitch.

It took nine games for them to register a first league win, beating fellow promoted side Fulham at home.

Drubbings by Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham were always on the cards this season, but failing to make the most of opportunities against the top-flight's also rans – particularly at home – proved too costly.

Cardiff gave themselves hope with a hard-earned 2-0 win at Brighton to keep alive their survival dreams but it proved a false dawn.

A subsequent 1-0 loss at already-relegated Fulham swiftly all but ended realistic ambitions of another season among the elite.

ga('create', 'UA-72310761-1', 'auto', {'name': 'pacontentapi'});
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'referrer', location.origin);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension1', 'By Press Association Sport staff');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension2', 'ad6da4a5-727f-4ee3-9d89-bec842d3b29c');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension3', 'paservice:sport,paservice:sport:club-news,paservice:sport:football,paservice:sport:uk');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension6', 'story');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension7', 'composite');
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension8', null);
ga('pacontentapi.set', 'dimension9', 'sport:football');
ga('pacontentapi.send', 'pageview', { 'location': location.href, 'page': (location.pathname + location.search + location.hash), 'title': 'How Cardiff\u2019s season ended in relegation'});

ID:358257: cacheID:358257:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:9565:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Brighton manager Chris Hughton on April 23, 2019
Read Next:
Chris Hughton: 'I won't tune in for Cardiff game'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLeicester CityLeicester463141189414897
3Leeds UnitedLeeds462791081433890
4Southampton462691187632487
5West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom4621121370472375
6Norwich CityNorwich4621101579641573
7Hull City461913146860870
8Middlesbrough46209177162969
9Coventry CityCoventry4617131670591164
10Preston North EndPreston46189195667-1163
11Bristol City461711185351262
12Cardiff CityCardiff46195225370-1762
13Millwall461611194555-1059
14Swansea CitySwansea461512195965-657
15Watford461317166161056
16Sunderland46168225254-256
17Stoke CityStoke461511204960-1156
18Queens Park RangersQPR461511204758-1156
19Blackburn RoversBlackburn461411216074-1453
20Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds46158234468-2453
21Plymouth ArgylePlymouth461312215970-1151
RBirmingham CityBirmingham461311225065-1550
RHuddersfield TownHuddersfield46918194877-2945
RRotherham UnitedRotherham46512293789-5227


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!