Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 8y

Sergio Ramos: Real Madrid obliged to keep fighting for La Liga title

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos said his team will fight until the end of the season for the league title and hope Barcelona or Atletico Madrid slip up after a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Saturday afternoon.

Madrid went into the weekend in third place, just one point behind leaders Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, with three games remaining for all sides.

Zinedine Zidane's side did not have it all their own way at Anoeta, but with just 11 minutes remaining Gareth Bale rose to head in his 19th La Liga goal of the campaign to grab the three points.

The result put Madrid top of the table ahead of Atletico's home game with Rayo Vallecano and Barca's trip to Real Betis later on Saturday.

Ramos told Movistar Plus after the final whistle that his team would keep up their part of what was an exciting end to the campaign.

"That is the philosophy of Madrid -- the team is obliged to fight," the Madrid captain said. "And we fight all we can, sacrifice at end of the season, an exciting end to the season for all fans.

"We are delighted, although we would like to be in another situation, but it is what it is. Today we have played first, managed to go ahead, and now we have to see if the other two slip up."

La Real goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli saved well from Bale, James Rodriguez and substitute Jese Rodriguez as Madrid dominated possession but found it tough going at times in a stadium at which Barca were recently beaten 1-0.

"We knew what game would be like here," Ramos said. "We went out to win the game, had lots of chances in first half, but lacked bit of luck. In the end we kept going. We knew this was a final, the league is on the line."

Zidane had named a much-changed starting XI, with injured pair Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema among the high-profile absentees, and needed Bale to step up to win the game late on, just as he had in the previous weekend's 3-2 comeback win at Rayo Vallecano.

"We are on a bad run of injuries, Karim and Cristiano, people who normally start, but this team responds," Ramos said. "We have a deep squad. Those who come in like Borja Mayoral and Lucas Vazquez are top players.

"We are obliged to keep pushing. The important thing is three points that taste like glory, hopefully."

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