3 min readBarcelonaMay 12, 2016 09:29 PM IST
First published on: May 12, 2016 at 09:29 PM IST
Barcelona lead the way with 88 points, one more than Real Madrid. (Source: Reuters)
Barcelona need to keep cool heads when they chase a 24th La Liga crown at Granada in their final fixture of the season on Saturday, said striker Luis Suarez.
Barca have won their last four matches, after going four games without a victory to allow Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid back in the title race.
Only Real can now catch Luis Enrique’s side after Levante beat Atletico 2-1 last week to end their championship hopes.
Barca lead the way with 88 points, one more than Real. Atletico are three points off the pace but have an inferior head to head record against the Catalan club.
Real must win at Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday and hope Barca fail to beat Granada if they are to land a first league title since 2012.
“We have to be very strong mentally…at some moment we’re going to suffer but that’s normal especially when you’re the visiting side,” Suarez told a news conference on Thursday.
The Uruguayan said it was difficult to explain how Barca went from an unbeaten run of 39 games to going four matches without a victory and being knocked out of the Champions League.
“We can’t find an explanation for it but we have been more united than ever and we’ve shown the team is still alive,” Suarez added. “We all dug in and now we depend on ourselves to win the league.”
Granada guaranteed top-flight survival last week by beating Sevilla.
Responding to media speculation that the home team could receive bonuses for winning, Suarez said the thought of flooring Barca would be enough to motivate Jose Gonzalez’s side.
“I don’t believe in bonuses, I believe in the pride of the Granada players for wanting to beat Barca,” explained Suarez.
“Every team will go out to try and win their games but not for money.”
Barca are missing goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and forward Sandro Ramirez through injury but otherwise have a full squad to choose from.
Real Madrid’s Keylor Navas, Dani Carvajal, Luka Modric and Gareth Bale have recovered from injury in time to face Deportivo who also have nothing to play for after assuring their La Liga status for next season.
Real thrashed Deportivo 5-0 in January in Zinedine Zidane’s first game as coach and are on a run of 11 consecutive wins.
Barcelona lead the way with 88 points, one more than Real Madrid. (Source: Reuters)
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