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maltatoday SUNDAY, 21 MAY 2017 Sport 60 FOOTBALL Zidane hails 'spectacular' squad as Real close in on title ZINEDINE Zidane hailed Real Madrid 's remarkable strength in depth as the key to his side entering their final game of the season at Malaga on the brink of lifting their first La Liga title since 2012. The French manager described his squad as "spectacular" on Saturday as he looked forward to the prospect of them earning the point that will earn the Eu- ropean champions a 33rd Span- ish title. The French coach has repeat- edly rotated his side through- out the season, with 21 players making 10 or more starts in the league, yet the frequent changes have rarely impacted results, leading Real to pick up 90 points from their 37 games. They lead double champions Barcelona by three points and will seal their expected tri- umph today if they avoid defeat to Malaga, who have nothing at stake although they have won four of their last six games. "I think that's the most im- portant thing, that every player has contributed," Zidane told a news conference ahead of the trip to Malaga. "As I said on the first day, this squad is spectacular and the key has been getting every player to feel that they are important. "The players who have played less have done just as well as the rest." Zidane has done an extraor- dinary job himself. His care- ful management of the squad has also seen them sail into Champions League final against Juventus on June 3 with the chance of becoming the first team to successfully defend the European Cup since AC Milan in 1990. "When you have 60 game per season it's very difficult on a physical level, but we've got to this stage with our spirits high and we're f lying physically," Zi- dane said. "The players kept believing, we've all done our job, but what the players have done is fan- tastic. Every time someone has come onto the pitch they've made a difference and that's the best thing." Real are on course for a third Champions League triumph in the last four years but they have struggled to match their Euro- pean success on the domestic stage, winning just two of the last nine La Liga titles while Barcelona have won six. Zidane, however, believes his side will be worthy champions if they can clinch the title on Sunday. "You have to show every day that you want to win the league, we've worked so hard and we de- serve to be in the position we're in. We're top and now we have to finish what we're doing," he said. "The game (at Malaga) will be our hardest. We had difficulties against Sevilla and Celta (Real beat both sides 4-1) but with a lot of concentration you can achieve great things." El Shaarawy and Salah strike twice to keep Roma title hopes alive TWO goals each from Stephan El Shaarawy and Mohamed Salah kept Roma's Serie A title hopes alive on Saturday as they twice came from behind to win 5-3 at Chievo Verona and move one point behind stuttering leaders Juventus. The win takes Luciano Spal- letti's side up to 84 points but Juve, on 85, will clinch the ti- tle if they defeat 18th-placed Crotone in their penultimate match on Sunday. Roma showed some nerves despite last Sunday's 3-1 vic- tory over the league leaders. Chievo, playing with the re- laxed control of a side who have nothing more at stake this season, took the lead in the 15th minute when Lucas Cas- tro slammed home a powerful volley from inside the box. El Shaarawy is enjoying a strong end to the campaign, and he scored in his third con- secutive Serie A game when he latched onto a hopeful ball from Federico Fazio in the 28th minute, rounded Stefano Sor- rentino and finished calmly. Roberto Inglese restored the hosts' lead nine minutes later when he met Valter Birsa's cross to head past Wojciech Szczesny, but the impressive Salah cut inside to send a curl- ing 20-metre effort past Sor- rentino. El Shaarawy added his sec- ond with a low shot after being picked out by Kevin Stroot- man, before Salah made sure of victory with another delight- ful effort following a fine ex- change with Edin Dzeko. Dzeko added a fifth from 25 metres before Inglese's second reduced the arrears for Chie- vo. Roma moved provision- ally four points clear of third- placed Napoli, who must defeat Fiorentina at home in Satur- day's late kickoff to remain in the title hunt. Millwall promoted to the English Championship MILLWALL returned to the second tier of English soccer on Saturday, with fans invading the pitch at Wembley Stadium, after beating Bradford City 1-0 with a late goal in their League One playoff final. Steve Morison scored the 85th minute winner to send the Lions, who missed out to Barnsley in last year's playoff final, back to the Championship after two seasons in the third tier. The South-East Londoners, who ended the season in sixth place and six points behind Bradford, join already promoted Sheffield United and Bolton Wanderers in going up. The pitch invasion by Millwall fans angered Bradford manager Stuart McCall, who told Sky Sports that he was "close to clock- ing one or two of them".

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