Barcelona coach Luis Enrique believes his side would be deserving winners of a 24th La Liga title if they can beat Granada away on Saturday to stave of a late surge from Real Madrid.
The Catalans lead Real Madrid by a point with just one game to play after continuing their return to form with a 5-0 drubbing of RCD Espanyol in the Catalan derby on Sunday.
Luis Suarez scored twice, while Lionel Messi, Neymar and Rafinha, with his first goal since returning from a long-term knee injury, were also on target.
Photo: Reuters
One of Barcelona’s title rivals fell by the wayside on Sunday as Atletico Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to already-relegated Levante UD meant they can now longer catch Barca.
However, Real registered their 11th consecutive league win, 3-2 over Valencia, to take the title race to the final day of the season.
“These are moments of the highest tension for all the players and all the teams, and we are managing it in the best way possible,” Enrique said. “I think we played a complete match in attack and defense. I don’t remember the opposition having any chances and we had great moments in the match. We have to finish it off in Granada and win this league because for the number of weeks we have been top we deserve it.”
Photo: AP
Barca have now scored 21 goals without reply in a four-game winning streak since they spectacularly lost three league games in a row for the first time in 13 years last month.
Significantly, Granada also ensured they are mathematically safe from relegation with a 4-1 thrashing of 10-man Sevilla on Sunday.
However, Enrique insisted he is not taking anything for granted.
“We know the difficulty that exists. We are a small step closer, but the last game is still to play,” he said. “We believe in how we are playing, and I hope we are complete and precise enough to win the league.”
“We are going to play for a league of 38 games in one match. There will be tension, Real Madrid and ourselves are in the same situation of playing away from home and having to win,” he added. “The prize is there and it is attractive enough that we will all be very motivated.”
Atletico coach Diego Simeone said he was proud of his side’s title challenge, despite their defeat.
Fernando Torres had given Atletico the perfect start with the opening goal inside two minutes, but Simeone’s men seemed to suffer from the aftereffects of sealing their place in the UEFA Champions League last week, as goals from Victor Casadesus and former Manchester United forward Giuseppe Rossi mathematically ended Atletico’s title chances.
“There aren’t any excuses. We are ending a fantastic season and we are one game away from competing with Barcelona and Real Madrid,” Simeone said. “That makes me happy because in other years we were out of it with 10 games remaining. We were a little bit short. I am hurting to fall at the penultimate hurdle, but I am delighted to have been fighting until now for the championship. I am so proud of what we have done.”
Simeone was made to pay for leaving top scorer Antoine Griezmann and inspirational defender Diego Godin on the bench, with one eye possibly on Atletico’s clash with Real in the Champions League final later this month.
However, he also lauded Levante’s performance just six days after their relegation was confirmed.
“What Levante have done is enormously noble. They have gone down and they fought until the end,” Simeone said. “That is what makes football great that a team can come from playing in the semi-finals of the Champions League and lose.”
Elsewhere on Sunday, Real Sporting de Gijon drew 1-1 at Getafe to stay just above the relegation zone; Real Scoiedad defeated Real Vallecano de Madrid 2-1; RC Deportivo de La Coruna won 2-1 away at fourth-placed Villarreal; Sociedad Deportiva Eibar were held 1-1 by Real Betis Balompie; RC Celta de Vigo edged Malaga 1-0; and UD Las Palmas were held to a goalless draw by Athletic Bilbao.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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