Barcelona: If Real Madrid avoid defeat at Malaga on Sunday they will win La Liga for the first time since 2012.
Rivals Barcelona host Eibar at the same time and are desperately hoping Madrid slip up so that they can snatch a third consecutive Spanish top flight title. Madrid’s 4-1 victory at Celta Vigo on Wednesday night puts them top of La Liga on 90 points, three ahead of Barca.
Malaga, 11th, have nothing to play for and most expect Madrid to earn the victory they crave and complete the first part of what could be a double, ahead of the Champions League final clash with Juventus.
“There’s still one game to go and we have to get something out of it,” said Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane.
“We must continue on in the same vein because the title race isn’t over just yet. We’re going to keep doing what we’ve been doing up until now. We can’t take anything for granted and have to go out and play our game. “It’ll be tough but we’ll try and go all out and we’re just focused on winning the game.” Madrid are set to be without Welsh winger Gareth Bale, who is still fighting to recover from a calf problem, as well as Dani Carvajal,Pepe and James Rodriguez.
Cristiano Ronaldo, whose good form has carried Madrid to the verge of the title, said: “Malaga are a good side, but we’re Real Madrid and we have to show that we’re the best and we want to be champions.”
The hosts, coached by former Madrid player Michel, will be missing Zdravko Kuzmanovic and Bakary Kone, while Juanpi Anor is also a doubt.
Regardless of who starts, Madrid will be confident they can secure their 33rd top flight title, ending a five-year wait.
Barcelona, meanwhile, have to beat Eibar and hope for an unlikely upset at La Rosaleda to take the title via winning the head-to-head with Real.
Sergi Roberto and Gerard Pique are set to return from suspension and injury respectively, although Javier Mascherano may miss out with the thigh problem he sustained ahead of the win over Las Palmas last weekend.
“We have to win our game against Eibar and hope Madrid slip up as soon as possible,” said Jordi Alba after Barcelona’s victory in the Canary Islands. However Madrid’s victory at Celta now means they are one final hurdle away from triumph.
Elsewhere Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad are battling to finish in the top six and reach the Europa League next season.
The Yellow Submarine are fifth on 64 points, with Basque sides Athletic and La Real one point behind in sixth and seventh respectively.
If Barcelona beat Alaves in the Copa del Rey final then the team which finishes seventh will gain qualification for the tournament in any case, because one spot is allocated to the Spanish Cup winners and the Catalans will be in the Champions League.
Villarreal travel to Valencia while Real Sociedad play at Celta. Athletic are Atletico Madrid’s guests for the team’s final ever game at the Vicente Calderon before they move to their new home next season.
The other final weekend fixtures are Granada v Espanyol, Sporting Gijon v Real Betis, Deportivo La Coruna v Las Palmas, Leganes vAlaves and Sevilla v Osasuna. — dpa
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