Real Madrid one get from title after beating Granada
Real Madrid are 1 victory from clinching the La Liga title once they held away a second-50 percent comeback from Granada in Monday to win 2-1 and move several points free from Barcelona.
With two games kept, Madrid will be crowned champions if indeed they beat Villarreal in the home on Thursday it doesn't matter how Barca fare at the Camp Nou against Osasuna.
But they were designed to sweat by a Granada team that are gunning for Europe and also have been arguably the division's shock of the growing season after being promoted from second tier only last year.
Ferland Mendy and Karim Benzema looked to have place Madrid on training for a comfortable get at Los Carmenes but Granada were transformed following the break and Darwin Machis' 50th-minute hit gave them hope.
An increasingly nervy Madrid were clinging on by the finish and needed Sergio Ramos to very clear one shot off the brand as Zinedine Zidane's aspect dug set for a ninth consecutive victory.
When the final whistle blew, Zidane roared with pain relief and Ramos clenched his fists immediately after coming through their toughest test because the restart.
"We can not relax, we're a bit closer but we must keep on," said Ramos afterwards.
"We let our safeguard down here a lttle bit on the second one half. We won the first half and shed the next and maybe that is clearly a caution for us. We have to make certain we don't do it again that mistake."
Madrid could gain a third La Liga name in eight years at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium on Thursday evening. "It could mean a whole lot," said Ramos.
"It's the prize for regularity over the complete year. Maybe we'd an interval of reflection through the suspension and we returned and reacted. We're in the race and ideally on Thursday we are able to celebrate."
If Madrid slip against Villarreal, they'll still have a second chance on Sunday if they finish away at Leganes while Barcelona visit Alaves.
Machis' goal was the first Madrid contain conceded in six suits but few would have seen it approaching following the first half.
Madrid scored twice in six mins, with both goals via breaks down their kept. Mendy had space before him and kept heading, accelerating between Victor Diaz and Dimitri Foulquier before firing substantial and in to the roof of the web from an acute position.
The next goal came straight down the same side, Isco's backheel allowing Luka Modric to switch still left to Benzema, who this time around cut inside Diaz and shot in to the far corner.
Madrid cruised through the rest of the half, pushing the ball around at will, but comfort perhaps created complacency and Granada improved upon after the break.
Machis pulled an objective back, striking through the legs of Courtois after Casemiro was robbed in midfield and Madrid were rattled as Granada dictated an increasing number of of the ball.
A scramble on Madrid's six-lawn box saw several players hacking at the ball on panic and Courtois was twice necessary to make smart saves past due on.
The closest Granada came was when the ball fell to Ramon Azeez at the trunk post and he fired towards the around post with Courtois stranded. Ramos was there at risk.
