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Casemiro said Real Madrid believe they can win La Liga after their goal earned them a 1-0 win at Real Valladolid that narrowed the gap with leader Atlético de Madrid to just three points on Saturday.
The result, Madrid’s fourth consecutive victory, came after title favorites Atlético were defeated 2-0 by Levante on Saturday morning in their first home loss in La Liga since December 2019.
– Qualifications: Real gains ground with 8/10 of Casemiro, Courtois
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“It’s not just because Atlético de Madrid lost. We believe [we can win] the league, “Casemiro said.” I think there are still 42 points left, that’s a lot of points. We know there is a lot of league left. We know it’s tough, but we believe in the league. “
Madrid had to fight for victory, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois making a series of saves before Casemiro scored with a header from Toni Kroos’s delivery having missed twice before.
“We have had many absences due to injuries and that is complicated,” Casemiro said. “But today’s victory is for the whole team, everyone’s job. Thibaut with his saves … I’m not surprised, he’s a great goalkeeper, but we should talk about everyone’s job.”
“We knew that today was a key game to put pressure on Atleti,” added Courtois. “We play against them soon and all we can do is keep doing our thing, winning games. Who wins La Liga will not be decided until May. We have to keep pushing.”
Madrid’s extensive injury list currently features nine first-team players, including top scorer Karim Benzema, who is a doubt for Wednesday’s Champions League round of 16 first leg with Atalanta.
Coach Zinedine Zidane, who came under pressure last month after three losses in four games, including being knocked out of the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa del Rey, said Benzema will undergo a scan on Sunday to determine his availability.
“We’ll see tomorrow,” he said. “We cannot take risks, there are many games left. If he cannot be with us, we will not risk it.”
Source: espn.co.uk
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