Deportivo La Coruna v Real Madrid: Jese insists failure not an option

Real Madrid attacker Jese Rodriguez has stressed failure is not an option when they visit Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday as Zinedine Zidane’s men aim to pip Barcelona to La Liga glory.

Madrid are trailing leaders Barca by one point heading into the final matchday, with the Catalans travelling to Granada.

The capital club could still win their first title since 2011-12 if Barcelona slip up, but Jese has warned beating Deportivo should be their main priority before they can think about the result of their rivals’ game.

A draw will not be enough for Zidane’s men, with Barca holding a superior head-to-head record after the two league matches between the sides.

“We’re preparing for the game against Deportivo just as if it was any other game. We have to look each other in the eye and go out and give our all because we can’t slip up,” Jese told the official Madrid website.

“The worst thing would be for us to slip up and then for there to be a surprise result in Granada. We’ll go there to win, just as we always do. We’ve already started preparing for the game. I see the whole team as being in very good shape. 

“We’re very keen to win the final game of the La Liga season. Winning the title is out of our hands, but we can’t slip up. We’re Real Madrid and we have to win the last game, pick up another three points and then wait and see what happens in Granada.”

Following La Liga’s conclusion, Madrid have a Champions League final date with city rivals Atletico at the end of the month as the club go in search of an 11th European triumph.

Deportivo, by contrast, have little left to play for after they ensured another year of La Liga football last week with their win over Villarreal.

Pedro Mosquera is adamant they have no intention of rolling over, though, even if he would personally prefer Madrid to win the title.

“It’s a really special game that everyone wants to play in. It’s the last match of the season at our stadium, in front of our home fans, and we’re out to get a victory that we haven’t managed for a long time,” Mosquera told reporters.

“I’d rather Real Madrid won the title than Barcelona, but we’ll be going after those three points. We’ll be going all out to win the match.”

Deportivo were hammered 5-0 by Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu back in January, while they were thrashed 8-2 the last time they hosted Madrid in 2014-15.

Key Opta facts:

– Deportivo La Coruna have conceded at least once in their last 10 league home games, their worst run at home in La Liga history.
– Karim Benzema has scored 24 goals in La Liga this season, his best record in a league season for Real Madrid or Lyon
– After winning six league games in a row against Real Madrid at the Riazor, Deportivo have gone four without a win since.
– Cristiano Ronaldo has scored in just one of his three league trips to Riazor, but it was a hat-trick (September 2014).
– This is already the third best goalscoring season for Real Madrid in La Liga (108), following 2011-12 (121) and 2014-15 (118).