Andres Iniesta's absence may force Barcelona to change their formation (Photo: Reuters)
Barcelona star Andres Iniesta says he and his teammates are determined to finish the season on a high, insisting that Saturday's tie against Atletico Madrid will be a great match to watch.
Atletico Madrid and Barcelona will play a winner-takes-all decider for the Spanish league title after both teams drew on Sunday, while Real Madrid saw their slim title hopes end in a loss.
"We have a one-off chance to win the league at home and in front of our supporters. We’ll be giving everything, 200 percent, and let’s hope we can all celebrate a win together," Iniesta said at a press conference on Monday.
"Whoever wins will deserve it – why won’t we deserve it if we win? We’ve led the table, lost big games, won big games. The league is about a whole season of effort, but right now, we will be putting a whole year’s work into a 90-minute game," he added.
Atletico will travel to the Camp Nou for a dramatic finale to decide the league's champion.
Atletico leads with 89 points, three better than Barcelona, which means a draw will be enough to pry the championship away from the defending champion, who must win to retain their title.
"I think we would all have signed up for this – a must-win game in the last match of the season, at home against Atletico Madrid. Playing at home takes a lot of pressure off us and if we win I think it will be a bigger celebration than ever. This team has never had that tension of going into the last game with the title at stake," the Spanish international explained.
"Whether we’ve done things right this season or not, this is our final. This will be different from the Champions League game, though the game against them here was the one that we felt best in.
"For Saturday, we have to ensure we play with pace and skill and make the most of our chances. Right know, both teams know each other really well, so it’ll be the small details that decide the game," he added.
Iniesta believes that the fans in the Camp Nou stands will play a vital role in his team's mission against Atletico: "The team also needs the supporters to give 200 percent, just as they've always done in difficult moments. We all need to pull in the same direction and be positive."
"Winning the league can’t cover up a poor season and if we do win it, that shouldn’t change anything about the future of the team. Winning the league would be a great way to sign off and it'd be good to do it for Martino after all he's had to go through.
"It’ll be an intense and exciting end to the season. It’ll be a great game to watch," he concluded.
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