La Liga leaders Atletico Madrid are ready for one final effort as they look to secure a first La Liga title since 2014 on Saturday. Diego Simeone’s side travel to relegation-threatened Valladolid knowing that if they better Real Madrid’s result against Villarreal, they will be crowned champions. Both games kick-off at 1800 local time (1600GMT) on Saturday.
“It’s a final against Valladolid, with two sides fighting for their own different, but important, objectives and we will both give absolutely everything they’ve got to achieve it,” Simeone told a news conference.
“We know that anything can happen in a game of football. Their needs are different to ours, but nevertheless important for what they want to achieve. It’s been a long season, with all sides going through their own problems. Right now, we’re two sides fighting it out for the title, three for two relegation spots. You need to give your all in every game in this league and hope that at the end you’ve got what you set out to do.”
Simeone said he will have to wait on the fitness of some of his players, with only Thomas Lemar definitely ruled out due to a thigh problem. “We’ll see how two or three of them who are currently under observation are, to see if they can start or not,” the Argentine coach said. “When we know that, then we’ll make a decision on the team tomorrow morning.”
Valladolid, who are owned by former Real and Brazil striker Ronaldo Nazario, need to win and hope other results go in their favour in order to stay up.