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  Atletico look for home comfort

Atletico look for home comfort

AP
Published : Mar 2, 2016, 2:12 am IST
Updated : Mar 2, 2016, 2:12 am IST

Atletico Madrid host Real Sociedad on Wednesday looking to keep pressure on Barcelona atop the standings in the Spanish League.

Atletico Madrid host Real Sociedad in their Spanish League match in Estadio Vicente Calderón on Wednesday.— AFP
 Atletico Madrid host Real Sociedad in their Spanish League match in Estadio Vicente Calderón on Wednesday.— AFP

Atletico Madrid host Real Sociedad on Wednesday looking to keep pressure on Barcelona atop the standings in the Spanish League.

Atletico can provisionally cut Barcelona’s lead to five points with another win following Saturday’s impressive 1-0 victory over Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu.

“We have to keep fighting game after game,” Atletico midfielder Saul Niguez said.

“Then at the end we will see whether we still have any chance. We are not giving up just yet.”

Atletico’s defence haven’t conceded a goal in four straight matches, including a scoreless draw at PSV Eindoven in the Champions League.

The offence has scored only two goals in the last four games, though.

“We have to keep working to improve in that area,” coach Diego Simeone said.

Real Madrid have already given up on the league title after losing at home to Atletico Madrid and dropping 12 points behind leaders Barcelona with 12 games to play.

Players and coach Zinedine Zidane admit that the focus now will be on the Champions League, with the club on the verge of as spot in the quarter-finals after a 2-0 win at Roma.

However, Madrid are in danger of losing the third place in the league, which would secure an automatic spot in the next year’s European tournament. They are only two points ahead of fourth-placed Villarreal going into their game at last-place Levante on Wednesday.

“Before the Champions League we have a game on Wednesday and we have to prepare for that game in order to play at our top level and win,” Zidane said. “Our duties and aims are for the next game.”

Villarreal’s impressive unbeaten run in the Spanish League has reached 13 games and left the team in position to fight for the third place.

Finishing third would give Villarreal an automatic spot in the Champions League, avoiding an extra qualifying round.

“To finish third we would need to maintain this extraordinary level and hope that Atletico and Real Madrid play below expectations,” Villarreal coach Marcelino Garcia said. “Each step we take is to secure this fourth place, which would be a great achievement.”

Villarreal have a comfortable 11-point lead over fifth-place Celta, the team they play on Wednesday in Vigo.

The title fight is virtually over but there is still plenty of action near the bottom of the table.

Five teams are within four points of relegation zone, and several matchups between threatened clubs take place this week. Second-to-last-place Granada host 18th-place Sporting Gijon on Thursday; 15th-place Getafe play at 17th-place Las Palmas on Tuesday; and 13th-place Real Betis face 14th-place Espanyol in Barcelona on Thursday.

Location: Spain, Madrid