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Atletico Madrid v Granada: Gabi dreaming of La Liga title
15 April 2016 17:00
Atletico Madrid captain Gabi is slowly starting to dream about the Liga title as they prepare to take on Granada on Sunday.
Diego Simeone's men have moved to within three points of leaders Barcelona following the Catalans' poor run of form in recent weeks – Luis Enrique's men failing to win their last three league matches.
Atletico – who knocked Barcelona out of the Champions League with a 3-2 aggregate victory on Wednesday - still have six games left to catch the reigning champions and Gabi is delighted with their performances so far this campaign.
"We are in a privileged situation," the influential midfielder told the official Atletico website.
"We still have a chance of winning La Liga with six more games to go.
"This is a great achievement for us and is a reward for our hard work. The team is playing at a very high level."
Atletico will be confident they have what it takes to see off Granada following their previous results against this weekend's opponents.
They have gone 14 league games in a row without a defeat against Granada (winning 10 and drawing four), with their last defeat coming in 1973.
And Granada have beaten Atletico just once at the Vicente Calderon in their 21 meetings in the top-flight, a 2-0 triumph in 1959.
Jose Gonzalez's men will be hoping for a repeat of that result on Sunday as they continue their battle against relegation.
Granada sit 17th in the table after 32 matches, but are just two points clear of the drop zone.
Midfielder Ruben Perez, who started his career at Atletico, is therefore desperate to spring a surprise.
"We have to go to the Vicente Calderon to win. There are only a few games left and we really need the points," Perez told reporters.
"Atletico concede very few goals and almost always score. They have players who can make the difference, players who can hold on to the ball and players who know how to defend.
"It is important to make as few mistakes as possible and take our chances.
"We all know Simeone. He is a coach who gets the best out of his players."
Granada were beaten 2-0 in the reverse fixture back in December 2015, with Diego Godin and Antoine Griezmann finding the net.
Key Opta facts:
- Only Mesut Ozil (18) has given more assists than Atletico Madrid's Koke (12) in the top five European leagues among midfielders this season.
- Granada have drawn four games in a row in La Liga, they have never drawn five consecutively.
- Fernando Torres has scored five goals in his last eight La Liga appearances - as many as he had netted in his previous 35 games since returning to Atletico.
- Atletico have scored the most goals by players who started on the bench in La Liga this season (13).
- Youssef El-Arabi has scored seven of Granada’s last 13 goals in La Liga.
Stoichkov backs Barca to outlast ´ridiculous´ Madrid
20 April 2016
Ex-Barcelona striker Hristo Stoichkov is confident his former club will retain their Liga title at the expense of Real Madrid, whose title prowess he doubts.
Barcelona are top of La Liga due to their superior head-to-head record with Atletico Madrid, while Real Madrid are only a point behind.
Luis Enrique's men have spurned a seemingly comfortable lead following four matches without a win in the league and will look to end three consecutive defeats when they travel to Deportivo La Coruna on Monday.
Stoichkov, who starred for Barca as a member of Johan Cruyff's celebrated "Dream Team", expects the Catalan club to recover their poise and branded Madrid's record of one Liga title since 2007-08 as "ridiculous".
"You have to be ridiculous to be content to win a [single] championship in eight years," he told Onda Cero.
"Criticizing [head coach] Luis Enrique, [Lionel] Messi or Neymar – it is easy now when three weeks ago they were heroes.
"Barcelona will win the championship, I have no doubt."
Fernando Torres claimed confidence is growing at Atletico Madrid after a 1-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao kept them level with Barcelona at the top of La Liga.
Torres scored the decisive goal in the game, finishing Antoine Griezmann's cross with a neatly placed header in the first half, and Diego Simeone's side withstood a barrage of late pressure from Athletic to hold on for a vital three points.
Athletic have now failed to beat Atletico in six attempts in La Liga, but Torres insisted the victory at San Mames was hard fought.
He said: "It was the game we knew it would be. We worked really hard, and we knew they'd push us back.
"We were fortunate enough to score in first half. We had to suffer a lot in the second and it was really difficult. Athletic are a great team.
"We're very proud of the game we played. Bilbao are in a great moment, and it's really positive to come here and win.
"We keep believing and hoping that we can do great things this season."
The result marked Atletico's eighth win in nine La Liga outings and ensured they are level on 79 points with Barca with four games left this season.
Torres underlined the ambition Atletico have to emerge with the title, and looked forward to the challenge of taking on Malaga at home this weekend.
He said: "The most important things is that the team wins, but everyone feels more confident. We're getting closer to the aim for this season.
"Against Malaga it's going to be a difficult game. They've been playing well recently, but we've been getting some good results at the Calderon.
"This win will help us go into that game with confidence. We just have to win."
Lionel Messi has delivered on his promise to send Stephen Curry his number 10 Barcelona jersey after the Golden State Warriors star reached 10 million followers on Instagram.
In December, Messi received a Warriors jersey from reigning NBA MVP Curry when he reached 30 million followers on the social media photo-sharing service.
Messi vowed to return the favour when Curry made it to 10 million on his official account and Barcelona's all-time leading goalscorer did not disappoint, fulfilling his pledge.
"Hey 'maestro' as promised, here is my number 10 jersey I'm sending over you," Messi said in a video uploaded via his official Instagram page.
"It's an honour for me to be able to share my jersey with you and it's always a pleasure to see you play.
"I hope to see you play for many more years to come and I wish you all the success possible. Big hugs."
Former Real Madrid winger Luis Figo fears for Zinedine Zidane's future at the Santiago Bernabeu side as he has warned results are all that matter in the Spanish capital.
Zidane replaced Rafael Benitez as the man in charge at Madrid back in January and can still win the Liga title and Champions League in his first season.
Madrid are just a point behind La Liga leaders Barcelona and city rivals Atletico Madrid in second place with three games remaining, while Manchester City await in the Champions League semi-finals.
However, Figo has warned Zidane's status at Madrid could change quickly if they fail to win any silverware.
"I am very happy for Zidane that he is Madrid coach, both as a former team-mate and as a friend," Figo told El Mundo.
"He is very shy but a super honest person and a very good professional. He's a great friend and a symbol of Real Madrid.
"I think him becoming Madrid coach was a natural process. He always wanted to become a coach.
"I hope that he will remain Madrid coach for many more years, but the position of coach at Madrid is very unstable and it always depends on results. They change coaches a lot of times."
Diego Simeone has been given a three-game touchline ban which will see him sit out the remainder of Atletico Madrid's league season.
The Argentine was sent to the stands during his side's 1-0 win over Malaga last Saturday after a ball was thrown from the technical area, interrupting a counter-attack from the visitors at the Vicente Calderon.
Simeone denied he had thrown the ball himself but accepted that referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz followed correct procedure in sending him to the stands for the second half.
"It's clear that the referee made the right decision as per the regulations. He did what he had to do. There's little more that can be said," the 45-year-old said after the match.
"It was a boy beside me [who threw the ball], but that doesn't mean anything."
However, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has taken a dim view of the incident and opted to suspend Simeone for three matches, meaning he will not be present in the Atleti dug-out for the remainder of their title run-in – though he still has the option to appeal.
According to RFEF regulations, Simeone - as head coach of the team - is culpable for the disruption of the match if the referee was unable to identify the perpetrator who threw the ball.
Atletico, who are level on points with Liga leaders Barcelona, face Rayo Vallecano, Levante and Celta Vigo in their final three games.
Real Madrid have confirmed Karim Benzema is suffering from a hamstring strain following the striker's substitution at half-time in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final away to Manchester City on Tuesday.
France international Benzema was replaced by Jese Rodriguez as Madrid drew 0-0 at Etihad Stadium, leaving everything to play for in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday.
Madrid on Thursday confirmed the nature of the 28-year-old centre-forward's injury but did not provide a timeframe on his likely return.
"After tests today at University Hospital Sanitas La Moraleja, the player Karim Benzema has been diagnosed with [a] myofascial strained right hamstring," the club said in a statement.
Los Blancos are away to Real Sociedad in La Liga on Saturday, with head coach Zinedine Zidane also troubled by the fitness of star forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who sat out of the match against City due to a thigh problem.
"Hopefully they can be in the second leg but we have to take it day by day for them," Zidane said of the attacking duo after the stalemate in Manchester.
"We're going to try and get them fit for [the second leg], that's our plan but I can't assure you of anything right now. We obviously want them back."
Madrid are third in the Liga table, one point behind Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, who are level on 82 points in first and second place respectively.
La Liga Review: Villarreal secure Champions League return
1 May 2016
Villarreal secured a return to the Champions League after four seasons away by beating Valencia 2-0 to sew up fourth place in La Liga.
Marcelino made a string of changes for the trip to Mestalla, due to the game falling between the two legs of Villarreal's Europa League semi-final against Liverpool, which the Yellow Submarine lead 1-0 ahead of a trip to Anfield next week.
Samu put Villarreal ahead with a fine finish after Roberto Soldado had opened up space inside the penalty area, before a reckless high line from Valencia allowed Adrian Lopez to run clear from his own half and follow up his midweek European heroics by dinking home.
The visitors held out comfortably in the second half and the final whistle was greeted by jubilant celebrations, with Marcelino's men now able to put all their energy into possible Europa League glory, having moved six points clear of fifth-placed Athletic Bilbao.
Crucially, Villarreal have taken four points from the Basque club this season to ensure the head-to-head advantage with two rounds of fixtures to play.
Athletic had beaten Celta Vigo 2-1 earlier on Sunday to leapfrog their opponents.
At the bottom of the table, Getafe boosted their chances of survival enormously by taking a 2-0 win from Deportivo La Coruna.
Pedro Leon and Carlos Vigaray got the goals at the Riazor to put Getafe on 35 points, level with Sporting Gijon, who won on Friday, and Rayo Vallecano after their loss at Atletico Madrid.
The teams from 16th to 19th are separated by a point heading into the final games of the campaign as the fight to stay up goes down to the wire.
Levante, six points adrift of Rayo and Getafe in the bottom three, will be facing relegation if they lose at Malaga on Monday.
In Sunday's other game, Sevilla's miserable campaign on the road dragged on as they lost 1-0 at Espanyol, whose victory vaults them onto 40 points, 14th place and clear of the scrap below them.
Xavi: Real Madrid played like a small team in Clasico
2 May 2016
Barcelona legend Xavi feels Real Madrid played "like a small team" in their 2-1 Clasico win over his former club last month.
Zinedine Zidane opted for a cautious approach as Madrid came from behind to beat their arch-rivals 2-1 at Camp Nou - a result that helped reignite the Liga title race.
However, Xavi believes that style - along with the tactics of Atletico Madrid - would not be accepted at Barca.
"Real Madrid played like a small team in the Clasico at Camp Nou," Xavi told beIN SPORTS.
"A big team like Barcelona should not be playing like Atletico Madrid. Big teams like Barcelona and Madrid should always stick to their own style. You cannot start playing like Atletico.
"[Atletico coach Diego] Simeone perfectly sets his team up to counter their opponents' strengths, but I don't like to see teams who shut up shop at the back.
"Barcelona fans would not understand it if they were to change their style of play. They are used to it that Barcelona are in charge and create 15 to 20 chances per game. Barcelona's style is non-negotiable."
Coaching Real Madrid is one of the toughest jobs in world football due to the politics involved at the Santiago Bernabeu, says former boss Manuel Pellegrini.
Pellegrini was in charge at Madrid in the 2009-10 campaign but lasted just one season as they lost out on the Liga title to fierce rivals Barcelona.
The now Manchester City manager, whose side face Madrid in the Champions League semi-final second leg on Wednesday, has fond memories of his time in the Spanish capital but feels there are too many people trying to interfere with first-team affairs.
"I wouldn't say coaching Madrid is an impossible job. It's an honour to coach Madrid. But you have to realise that when you take charge of Madrid, you have to accept politics play a big role," Pellegrini told El Mundo.
"There are bound to be people who will try to interfere even if they do not have the football knowledge to do so. If you allow someone without football knowledge to interfere and if you let criticism from the political side affect you, you are not ready for the job.
"I was fortunate enough to pass one of the most difficult tests and it did not change me one bit. I know that the players liked it most about me that nothing changed regardless of the result at the weekend.
"I demanded the same from the players, to not let anything happening on the outside affect them. I never fielded a player because I was told to do so or because I was being criticised.
"I only have good memories of my time at Madrid. Unfortunately I didn't win the league, even if it would have been the first and last title anyway. I knew that I was fired because club president Florentino Perez had told Villarreal president Fernando Roig and he told me."
City travel to the Bernabeu for the Champions League semi-final second leg with the tie nicely poised at 0-0.
Inter director Dejan Stankovic believes Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone will return to coach the Italian club but not now, with Roberto Mancini "here to stay".
Simeone and the Inter coaching job has been the topic of discussion after the former midfielder hinted at a return to the San Siro last month.
Stankovic, however, is not expecting to see Simeone back in Milan anytime soon, despite Mancini's failure to secure Champions League football.
"This is already the fourth time we've talked about this," Stankovic told Mediaset Premium.
"Perhaps a day will come when he arrives, but not tomorrow or next year, maybe in a few years.
"Mancini is here to stay."
Inter are fourth in Serie A following Sunday's 2-0 loss to Lazio, seven points behind third-placed Roma.
As for Simeone's Atletico, they are level on points with La Liga leaders Barcelona with two matches remaining.
The Spanish capital club also enjoy a 1-0 lead against Bayern Munich in their Champions League semi-final tie.
Barcelona v Espanyol: Alba insists champions do not fear another ´Tamudazo´
6 May 2016
Jordi Alba says Barcelona are not afraid of another dismal derby with Espanyol costing them the Liga title.
Luis Enrique's side host their city rivals on Sunday knowing that a victory could see them clinch the domestic crown for the 24th time in their history, should Atletico Madrid lose to Levante and Real Madrid fail to beat Valencia.
Barca are still haunted by memories of June 9, 2007, when Espanyol record goalscorer Raul Tamudo struck a 90th-minute equaliser to silence Camp Nou and allow Madrid to go on and win the title under Fabio Capello.
A run of three defeats in a row had threatened to see the Catalans surrender their title before three wins from as many games last month got them back on track and Alba is adamant there will be no repeat of the infamous 'Tamudazo' to inspire another collapse.
"We don't fear another 'Tamudazo'," he said this week.
"We honestly never thought the league was won. It's very tight, but we still depend on ourselves. It won't be decided until the end of the season.
"Espanyol would play with the same desire, even if they weren't playing for safety. We'll try to win and be at our best. We have to win our last two games to win the league."
Espanyol ended a run of five games without a victory with a hugely important 1-0 win over Sevilla last week, a result which leaves them five points clear of the relegation zone with two games to play.
Midfielder Victor Sanchez insists that their motivation at Camp Nou is simply to secure a result that will guarantee their top-flight status for another season and not to deal a blow to their rivals' title hopes.
"Our motivation is staying up. That's our challenge and we want to do it now," he told AS. "We have to fight to the death, with the fans' support and always try to win. That's what we care about, not Barca.
"We need a point and we want it against Barca. I think we did well in the last two derbies, in the league and the Copa del Rey. We have to be strong in our pressing and close off the passing channels. If we steal the ball and break, we can do damage."
Barca and Espanyol played out three derbies in the space of 11 days in January, with a 0-0 draw in La Liga followed by 4-1 and 2-0 victories for the holders in the Copa del Rey last 16.
Defender Jeremy Mathieu could be back for Barca after spending more than a month out with a knee injury, but Thomas Vermaelen, Claudio Bravo (both calf) and Sandro Ramirez (thigh) are still out.
Espanyol top-scorer Felipe Caicedo (Achilles) is a major doubt for the visitors, while Alvarez Gonzalez and Oscar Duarte are both banned. Abraham Gonzalez (hamstring) and Anaitz Arbilla (Achilles) are out. Ruben Duarte could be back from a knee problem, however, after completing training on Friday.
Key Opta Stats:
- Barcelona have gone 13 league games without a defeat against Espanyol (W10 D3) and they have kept 10 clean sheets in that period.
- Should Barcelona find the net, they would have scored in all their home games in La Liga this season
- Espanyol have picked up six defeats in a row at Camp Nou, scoring a single goal in that period.
- Lionel Messi has scored eight goals in his last four Barcelona derbies at Camp Nou in La Liga.
- Among players with at least 30 games played in La Liga this season, Hernan Perez has conceded the most fouls per game (2.67).
Levante v Atletico Madrid: Simeone´s men on the brink of history
6 May 2016
Atletico Madrid face three more matches this season that could define the club's history and it all starts with Sunday's trip to relegated Levante.
Diego Simeone's men battled through to the Champions League final despite Tuesday's second-leg loss to Bayern Munich and will face rivals Real in Milan on May 28.
The Liga title is also up for grabs, with Atletico second to leaders Barcelona only by virtue of an inferior head-to-head record against Luis Enrique's side.
While this weekend's visitors to the Estadi Ciutat de Valencia have their sights set on domestic and European glory, the hosts are heading for the Segunda Division.
Levante's fate was sealed by Monday's 3-1 loss to Malaga, ending their six-year stay in La Liga.
Such contrasting fortunes mark Atletico as clear favourites for maximum points, but the gulf in class was not so apparent in January's reverse fixture.
It took until the 81st minute for Atletico to break the deadlock on that occasion, with Thomas Partey's goal ultimately settling matters.
And there is perhaps a more telling warning from the past that should ensure Simeone's side are on their guard against complacency.
When they last won the title in 2013-14 – the same year they lost the Champions League final to Real – Atletico were beaten 2-0 at Levante in the closing stages of the campaign.
This weekend's match will be an emotional one for Levante captain Juanfran, as it will be his final appearance on home soil.
The 39-year-old announced following the club's failure to avoid the drop that he would retire at the end of the season.
He started his career at Levante and returned in 2010 to help the club gain promotion to La Liga.
Speaking to Marca about his decision, the defender said: "These are not easy situations and when one is possibly not going to play anymore.
"I've been six years with Levante. For me it has been a success, but the truth of football is in the present."
Diego Godin (hamstring) and Tiago – who recently returned from a fractured tibia – may be rested for the visitors.
Levante welcome back Jefferson Lerma from suspension, but Jose Mari is serving a ban for Rubi's side.
Key Opta Facts:
- Atletico Madrid have won their last six league games, without conceding in the last four, their best run this season.
- Levante have not lost any of their last four games at Ciutat (W2 D2), their best such run with Rubi in charge.
- The last time Diego Simeone's side recorded as many wins in a row in La Liga was in 2014 (nine) and they finished the run at Ciutat.
- Fernando Torres is the only Spanish player to have scored for Atletico against Levante in the last nine goals scored by Atletico players.
Simeone proud of Atletico despite end of title dreams
8 May 2016
Diego Simeone remains proud of Atletico Madrid's achievements this season after their Liga title dreams came to an abrupt end on Sunday following a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Levante.
Atletico consequently dropped to third place in the table and can no longer catch Barcelona on the last day as they sit three points behind Luis Enrique's men with an inferior head-to-head record.
Nevertheless, Simeone - who served the second game of his three-match touchline ban - preferred to look at the positives of his side's season.
"I have told the players that I am proud of what they have achieved," Simeone was quoted as saying by AS.
"What we have to do now is to try to finish second. If we cannot get second place, we will have to settle for third.
"We have been enjoying a great season and we have again been able to compete with Barcelona and Real Madrid. I am happy with that.
"We were obviously missing something today. It hurts that we are out of the title race, but I am happy that we were battling for the title until the penultimate game.
"Levante deserved their win. I can only speak highly of them. This is the beauty of the game. Levante were already down, but they never stopped fighting.
"A team that just played a Champions League semi-final can lose. But the game against Bayern on Tuesday is no excuse."
Atletico meet Celta Vigo next week, before they take on arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
Zidane hopeful that Granada can do Madrid a favour
8 May 2016
Zinedine Zidane remains optimistic that Real Madrid can overhaul Barcelona and win La Liga after a dramatic penultimate round of fixtures on Sunday.
Madrid go into the final day of the season one point behind Barca and as the only team able to prevent the reigning champions from retaining their crown after Atletico Madrid slipped up at Levante.
Zidane's team were good value for their 3-2 victory over Valencia at the Santiago Bernabeu - earned by a Cristiano Ronaldo brace and a goal from the returning Karim Benzema - and they have now won 11 league games in a row.
Madrid head to Deportivo La Coruna on the final day while Barca visit Granada, who made sure they will remain in Spain's top flight with an excellent 4-1 win at Sevilla.
However, despite the euphoria of rubber-stamping safety at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Zidane is hopeful that Granada will be motivated against Luis Enrique's side.
The Frenchman told his post-match media conference: "We have to continue building up points and hope Granada do well in their game. We'll do what we can to win our game.
"Now we are second, there's one game left and anything could happen - you never know in football. We have to be aware of that fight until the final whistle.
"But the first thing we have to do is make sure we win our game - it won't be easy, we know that."
With a Champions League final against Atletico on the horizon, Zidane was asked whether he will consider shuffling his pack at the Riazor.
"We'll rotate the side, but we're only thinking about Deportivo," he added.
"Then we have 15 days to prepare for the Champions League final. We'll fight until the last minute."
Benzema played just over an hour before being substituted as he continues his recovery from a hamstring problem, and Zidane thinks his compatriot is approaching full fitness again.
He added: "It wasn't easy for him because he has not been physically well for a while, but he's better now and the pains have gone."
Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo: Simeone demands strong showing before Champions League final
12 May 2016
Diego Simeone says Atletico Madrid have no excuse not to end their Liga campaign with a strong performance against Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Atleti saw their domestic title challenge end with a shock 2-1 defeat at relegated Levante last weekend, with leaders Barcelona three points clear and boasting a better head-to-head record.
The capital club now host Celta at the Vicente Calderon knowing that a victory could at least see them leapfrog Real Madrid into second place, should Zinedine Zidane's side fail to beat Deportivo La Coruna.
And head coach Simeone wants his side to produce one more quality display before they face their city rivals in the Champions League final on May 28.
"There is no kind of excuse in the last match," he said. "We are finishing a fantastic, huge season. We look forward to another round to continue competing with Barcelona and Real Madrid.
"Other years we were further away and this year we were closer. This is what makes me more and more happy."
Celta, who are assured of a Europa League spot, will finish an impressive campaign in fifth if they match Athletic Bilbao's result against Sevilla.
Head coach Eduardo Berizzo, who agreed a one-year extension to his contract in April, has guided his side to just one defeat in nine matches since they were thrashed 7-1 by Madrid on March 5.
With Celta having won on four of their last eight visits to Atletico, forward Nolito is confident his side can enjoy a successful trip to the capital and safeguard fifth place.
"We have nothing to lose. It will be a difficult game and we're going to try to compete with Atletico to get the three points," he said on Thursday.
"Nobody thought we would be close to fifth or sixth. It would be fantastic to get into the top five."
Simeone will again sit in the stands as he serves the last of his three-game touchline ban, while a number of first-team players could be rested for the Champions League final now that winning La Liga is beyond them.
Fernando Torres will be keen to build on his 10 league goals in front of the home fans as he looks to safeguard a new contract, while Tiago could return after spending five months out with a broken leg.
Celta will be without Claudio Beauvue (Achilles) and defender Andreu Fontas.
Key Opta Stats:
- Atletico Madrid have won their last six home league games in a row, keeping five clean sheets in that period.
- Atletico have lost fewer league games at home this season than any other Liga side, with their only defeat coming in matchday three courtesy of Barcelona, 1-2.
- Celta Vigo are one of only three sides to have defeated Atletico at Vicente Calderon this season, alongside Barcelona and Benfica (back in January in Copa del Rey, with a 2-3 win which knocked them out).
- Nolito has won 14 points for his side in La Liga this season thanks to his goals (12), with only Ruben Castro and Aspas securing more points (16 points).
- Nolito has scored three of Celta's last five goals against Atletico in La Liga.
- Celta de Vigo (13) and Atletico (12) have won more games by a single goal margin than any other side in La Liga this season.
Deportivo La Coruna v Real Madrid: Jese insists failure not an option
12 May 2016
Real Madrid attacker Jese Rodriguez has stressed failure is not an option when they visit Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday as Zinedine Zidane's men aim to pip Barcelona to La Liga glory.
Madrid are trailing leaders Barca by one point heading into the final matchday, with the Catalans travelling to Granada.
The capital club could still win their first title since 2011-12 if Barcelona slip up, but Jese has warned beating Deportivo should be their main priority before they can think about the result of their rivals' game.
A draw will not be enough for Zidane's men, with Barca holding a superior head-to-head record after the two league matches between the sides.
"We're preparing for the game against Deportivo just as if it was any other game. We have to look each other in the eye and go out and give our all because we can't slip up," Jese told the official Madrid website.
"The worst thing would be for us to slip up and then for there to be a surprise result in Granada. We'll go there to win, just as we always do. We've already started preparing for the game. I see the whole team as being in very good shape.
"We're very keen to win the final game of the La Liga season. Winning the title is out of our hands, but we can't slip up. We're Real Madrid and we have to win the last game, pick up another three points and then wait and see what happens in Granada."
Following La Liga's conclusion, Madrid have a Champions League final date with city rivals Atletico at the end of the month as the club go in search of an 11th European triumph.
Deportivo, by contrast, have little left to play for after they ensured another year of La Liga football last week with their win over Villarreal.
Pedro Mosquera is adamant they have no intention of rolling over, though, even if he would personally prefer Madrid to win the title.
"It's a really special game that everyone wants to play in. It's the last match of the season at our stadium, in front of our home fans, and we're out to get a victory that we haven't managed for a long time," Mosquera told reporters.
"I'd rather Real Madrid won the title than Barcelona, but we'll be going after those three points. We'll be going all out to win the match."
Deportivo were hammered 5-0 by Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu back in January, while they were thrashed 8-2 the last time they hosted Madrid in 2014-15.
Key Opta facts:
- Deportivo La Coruna have conceded at least once in their last 10 league home games, their worst run at home in La Liga history.
- Karim Benzema has scored 24 goals in La Liga this season, his best record in a league season for Real Madrid or Lyon
- After winning six league games in a row against Real Madrid at the Riazor, Deportivo have gone four without a win since.
- Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in just one of his three league trips to Riazor, but it was a hat-trick (September 2014).
- This is already the third best goalscoring season for Real Madrid in La Liga (108), following 2011-12 (121) and 2014-15 (118).
Brazil legend Pele feels Lionel Messi is arguably the best player of his time and has hailed the Barcelona star as "the prince" of football.
Pele was nicknamed 'the king' during his career and he thinks Messi is as important to the game as he was during his playing days, even if he believes the prolific attacker is not the best Argentine player ever.
"If I am the king, then Messi has been the prince over the past 15 years," Pele told La Vanguardia.
"I cannot call him the king, because there is only one king. I believe that Alfredo Di Stefano was the most complete of the Argentine stars, he was more complete than [Diego] Maradona and Messi.
"I am glad that I played in my era, even if it's true everything is more simple now.
"Players like Di Stefano are I are not as well-known because there are far fewer recordings of our performances."
Rayo chief takes aim at Villarreal and Sporting-supporting Marcelino
15 May 2016
Rayo Vallecano president Martin Presa has accused Villarreal of not competing after their 2-0 defeat at Sporting Gijon relegated the Madrid club.
Villarreal coach Marcelino had admitted in the build-up to the final day of the season that his affiliation with Sporting – starting his career as a player at the Asturian club before returning as coach in 2003 – made the tie "awkward".
Goals from Jony and Sergio Alvarez saw off Villarreal at El Molinon, leaving Rayo to lick their wounds, despite a 3-1 win over rock-bottom Levante.
But Presa was quick to point the finger of blame after the game, stating that Villarreal had not put sufficient effort into their fixture.
"Villarreal didn't compete in terms of their line-up, their substitutions or in their formation," Presa is quoted as saying by AS.
"From the first minute it was clear to see it was not a game of football. Out of respect in other years we have fought to the death in the final game.
"Villarreal didn't prepare at all. It's my opinion, a side that didn't prepare at all, who didn't shoot on goal or anything.
"You can win and you can lose but you have to compete."
Presa is determined to restore Rayo back to La Liga at the first time of asking and hopes highly rated coach Paco Jemez will stay on to see out the job.
"I am the primary person who is responsible for the relegation," Presa added. "I congratulate Sporting.
"For our fans, and I am the first one, we are going to take the side back into Primera Division.
"If Paco wants to stay on, he will, and we will start preparing the team from tomorrow for next season."
