Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has told his team there is no time to relax after they moved another step closer to securing the Primera Liga title with a 2-1 win at Granada on Monday night.
Ferland Mendy and Karim Benzema looked to have set Madrid on course for a comfortable win at Los Carmenes but Granada were transformed after the break and Darwin Machis's 50th-minute strike gave them hope.
An increasingly nervous Madrid were clinging on by the end and needed Ramos to clear one shot off the line as Zinedine Zidane's side dug in for a ninth consecutive victory.
The win moves Madrid four points clear of rivals and defending champions Barcelona with two games remaining. It means Los Blancos need to win one of their two final games - against Villarreal at home or Leganes away - to guarantee the title.
But despite their clear advantage, Ramos has urged his teammates to remain focused on getting the job done.
"We can't relax, we're a bit closer but we have to carry on," said Ramos.
"We let our guard down here a bit on the second half. We won the first half and lost the second and maybe that's a warning for us. We have to make sure we don't repeat that mistake."
Madrid could win La Liga for the third time in eight years at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium on Thursday night. "It would mean a lot," said Ramos.
"It's the prize for consistency over the whole year. Maybe we had a period of reflection during the suspension and we came back and reacted. We're in the race and hopefully on Thursday we can celebrate."
When the final whistle blew, Zidane roared with relief and Ramos clenched his fists after coming through their toughest test since the restart.
"Our vision when we start every season is to win the league," said Zidane. "There are two games left. We are close but we're not there yet."
If Madrid slip up against Villarreal, they will still have a second chance on Sunday when they finish at Leganes while Barcelona visit Alaves.
