La Liga tight title race continues

The thrilling race for this season's La Liga title continues on Thursday as Real Madrid travel to Granada for a game where they can't afford to drop any points, reported Xinhua.

Tuesday saw Barca held to a draw away to Levante, and although that point lifted Ronald Koeman's side above Real Madrid, it also gives Real Madrid the chance to go two points clear of the Catalans if they win in the Los Carmines Stadium.

Meanwhile league leaders Atletico Madrid have a difficult home match against Real Sociedad on Wednesday and the result of that will decide whether Real travel knowing they have the chance to go top, or whether they need a win to avoid falling five points behind their neighbors.

Real Madrid wasted the chance to go top when they were held by Sevilla on Sunday night and Zinedine Zidane once again has to contend with an injury crisis after it was confirmed on Tuesday that Ferland Mendy joins Sergio Ramos, Lucas Vazquez, Dani Carvajal, and Raphael Varane on the injury list.

The injuries limit Zidane's options in defense and mean Marcelo will play at left back, with Nacho and Eder Militao in central defense and Alvaro Odriozola at right back, while B-team defender Miguel Gutierrez will probably be on the bench again.

Midfielder Casemiro will have to be careful in Granada as a booking would see him suspended for Sunday's difficult (and just as vital) visit to play Athletic Club Bilbao.

Thursday's remaining two matches are important in the battle to avoid relegation and to qualify for Europe, with fourth from bottom Valladolid at home to Villarreal, who still have work to do to assure they finish in the top-seven (even though Villarreal also have another chance at Europe if they win this season's Europa League title).