The Ligue 1 title tussle between Paris Saint-Germain and Lille is going to the wire, and it is Les Dogues who hold a slender advantage heading into the final day.
Lille could have won the title – their first since 2010-11 – last week had they beaten Saint-Etienne and PSG dropped points against Reims.
Neither of those outcomes came to fruition, however, and Lille are just one point ahead with one game left to play. It is the smallest gap between a leader and the second-placed team at this stage in a Ligue 1 campaign since 2001-02.
Christophe Galtier's team need only to beat Angers to guarantee their triumph, but the mid-table team are one of the only three sides Lille have lost to this season in Ligue 1, while PSG face Brest.
Just below the title battle, Monaco – who have a slim chance of taking top billing – and Lyon are vying for the final Champions League spot.
Monaco could yet end up at the summit, but Niko Kovac's team would finish fourth if they fail to beat Lens and Lyon defeat Nice.
At the other end of the table, there is potential for drama, with six teams between 18th-placed Nantes and 13th-placed Reims involved in a relegation scrap.
It has been a tightly fought contest throughout the season at the top of the table, but all will be decided on Sunday.
How does the predictor work?
First of all, here's how we got the data...
The data model estimates the probability of each match outcome – either a win, draw or loss – based on each team's attacking and defensive quality. Those ratings are allocated based on four years' worth of comprehensive historic data points and results, with more weighting given to recent matches to account for improvements or declines in form and performance trends.
The AI simulation takes into account the quality of the opposition that a team scores or concedes goals against and rewards them accordingly. All that data is used to simulate upcoming matches using goal predictions from the Poisson distribution – a detailed mathematical model – with the two teams' attacking and defending ratings used as inputs.
The outcome of the season is then simulated on 10,000 different occasions in order to generate the most accurate possible percentage chance of each team finishing in their ultimate league position. The points total is based on an average of the predicted points from the simulations of the league outcome.
Let's see how the model now predicts the final league table will look...
Lille likely to pip PSG to the post
Our model suggests that it will be Lille who hold firm to triumph this season, and claim their fourth Ligue 1 crown in the process, giving Les Dogues a 57.9 per cent chance of finishing top.
Lille did lose to Angers earlier this season, but they had won the previous three matches against them.
Angers, though, have only failed to score in two of their 18 Ligue 1 home games against Lille, doing so in their first such meeting in September 1957 (0-0) and in their most recent in February 2020 (0-2).
However, Lille's away form is superb – they have won 11 of their last 12 Ligue 1 games on the road.
Opta's AI predicts a 34 per cent chance of Lille finishing second, and an 8.9 per cent of them finishing third. The latter outcome would require Lille to lose, PSG to avoid defeat, Monaco to win, and there to be at least a six-goal swing in goal difference in the principality club's favour.
For PSG, the model offers them a 45.7 per chance of finishing second. If they drop points at all, then Lille will only need to draw to win the title, while a defeat – combined with a Monaco victory – would see Mauricio Pochettino's team finish third. Opta predict there is a 10.9 per cent chance of this happening.
There is very slim potential (3.1 per cent) for PSG to finish outside of the Champions League places and in fourth, but the goal difference swing required (17) would be bordering on the realms of impossibility.
PSG have a 40.3 per cent chance of finishing top, with Monaco not technically out of the running – they have a 2.6 per cent chance.
Monaco would need both Lille and PSG to slip up for that to occur. However, their main focus is to secure Champions League football.
Opta suggests this may be tough, with Lyon – led by the in-form Memphis Depay – given a 43.2 per cent chance of snatching third place, with Monaco destined for fourth. This is due in part to their poor record away at Lens in Ligue 1, where they have won just one of their last 14 top-flight games.
Bad luck for Brest
In the relegation scrap, Opta predict that Nantes, who currently occupy 18th place or Brest are the most likely teams to have to play-off against Toulouse or Grenoble Foot for a place in next season's Ligue 1.
Brest of course face PSG, and they have lost their last three Ligue 1 home games against the capital club, giving them a 50 per cent chance of finishing 18th.
Nantes are in action against Montpellier, and the model suggests their most likely finishing position is also in the bottom three (35.8 per cent), though only one unwanted place is up for grabs.
Reims, who sit in 13th, are not mathematically safe, with only two points between them and Nantes, but they are predicted to secure their top-flight status for next season.
Lorient, Bordeaux and Strasbourg could also be dragged into the relegation/promotion play-off place.
Damian Lillard is used to having the game in his hands, but the Portland Trail Blazers star found another level of control Saturday in a 123-109 playoff win over the Denver Nuggets.
Lillard scored 34 points and had a career playoff high 13 assists to account for 54 per cent of Portland's points in Game 1 of the best-of-seven series.
That assist total was the most for a Portland player since Damon Stoudamire had 13 against the Phoenix Suns on May 13, 1999.
The sixth-seeded Blazers set a franchise record for a playoff game in hitting 19 three-pointers, five of them by Lillard, as they opened with a critical road win to boost their chances of taking the series.
"Any time you start a series on the road, you're going into it thinking we need to at least win one -- heading back home we've got to have one of those first two," Lillard told reporters.
"It's a major statement to be able to get the first one."
The Blazers heaped praise on center Jusuf Nurkic, who spent most of the night defending Nuggets star Nikola Jokic.
Though Jokic matched Lillard's scoring output with 34, he had only one assist -- a career playoff low.
Lillard told reporters he believes Jokic is the NBA MVP this season, but said the Blazers' focus was on letting him do the work himself rather than distributing to his team-mates.
That formula worked in the series opener, though Lillard expects the competition is "only going to get harder from here."
Added Carmelo Anthony, "I've been here multiple times. We don't want to get too high -- it's just the first game.
"We'll take it, though. It's a big win. Any time you can get Game 1 on the road in the playoffs it's a major win.
"We don't look at it as a steal -- we came in here and we earned this win tonight."
Seven strong innings from Walker Buehler lifted the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 6-3 victory at San Francisco, pulling the defending World Series champions level with the Giants in the National League West.
Buehler allowed one run while scattering six hits in seven innings of work, improving to 3-0 while lowering his ERA to 2.78.
The Dodgers spoiled the first MLB appearance since September 2016 for Giants starter Scott Kazmir, who allowed only a first-inning solo home run to Max Muncy in four strong innings after being recalled from the minor leagues.
Austin Barnes added a solo homer of his own in the fifth for the Dodgers, who put the game away with four runs in the seventh and eighth innings.
The Dodgers' sixth consecutive win and second in a row against their northern rivals left Los Angeles a game behind the first-place San Diego Padres in the top-heavy division.
Cole silences White Sox
Gerrit Cole was all but untouchable once again, allowing four hits in seven innings as the New York Yankees blanked the Chicago White Sox 7-0 for their fifth win in succession. Gleyber Torres had another big game at the plate for New York, driving in four runs.
A day after hitting a walk-off home run against the Houston Astros, Texas Rangers sensation Adolis Garcia hit two more bombs to help the Rangers to an 8-4 triumph. The second shot tied the game and sparked a five-run seventh inning that provided the winning margin for Texas.
Garrett Cooper hit a game-winning two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth as the Miami Marlins beat the New York Mets 3-1.
Xander Bogaerts and Danny Santana had back-to-back homers to lead off the sixth inning for the Boston Red Sox in a 4-3 victory ove the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Tampa Bay Rays rallied with runs in the eighth and ninth to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 for their ninth consecutive victory.
Mariners' three errors boost Padres
The Seattle Mariners committed three errors in the fifth inning -- two of them by catcher Tom Murphy -- to help the Padres break open what had been a 1-1 game on the way to a 6-4 San Diego win. The first run of the inning scored when Murphy's throw to third on a Jorge Mateo steal attempt sailed into left field. Later, a bases-loaded single by Eric Hosmer brought home two runs, and a throw home by outfielder Jarred Kelenic went through Murphy's legs, allowing Fernando Tatis Jr to score from first base on the play.
Hernandez gives Cleveland walk-off win
Cesar Hernandez hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the 10th to give the Cleveland Indians a bounce-back 5-3 win over the Minnesota Twins.
Saturday's results
Boston Red Sox 4-3 Philadelphia Phillies
Washington Nationals 12-9 Baltimore Orioles
New York Yankees 7-0 Chicago White Sox
Cleveland Indians 5-3 Minnesota Twins
Miami Marlins 3-1 New York Mets
Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Cincinnati Reds
Atlanta Braves 6-1 Pittsburgh Pirates
Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 Toronto Blue Jays
Texas Rangers 8-4 Houston Astros
Kansas City Royals 7-5 Detroit Tigers
St Louis Cardinals 2-1 Chicago Cubs
Colorado Rockies 7-6 Arizona Diamondbacks
Oakland Athletics 6-2 Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Dodgers 6-3 San Francisco Giants
San Diego Padres 6-4 Seattle Mariners
Rays at Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays (23-21) send ace Hyun Jin Ryu to the mound as they try to avoid a sweep and stop the Tampa Bay Rays' nine-game winning streak. Michael Wacha will come off the injured list to start for the Rays (28-19).
A strong second half sent the sixth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers to a 123-109 victory over the third-seeded Denver Nuggets as the NBA playoffs began Saturday.
Portland outscored Denver 65-48 after the break as Damian Lillard had 34 points and 13 assists for the visitors, who made 18 of 19 free throw attempts to just four of eight for the Nuggets.
CJ McCollum added 21 points and Carmelo Anthony scored 18 in just 22 minutes off the bench for Portland, who beat the Los Angeles Lakers in their playoff opener last season only to lose the next four to the eventual champions.
Their efforts overcame a 34-point, 15-rebound game from Nikola Jokic and 25 points from Michael Porter Jr.
Porter made all 11 of his two-point field goal attempts Saturday but was just one of 10 from three-point range.
Game 2 is Monday in Denver.
Brooklyn's big three carry Nets
Big games from the big three carried the Brooklyn Nets to a 104-93 series-opening win over the Boston Celtics. Kevin Durant had 32 points and 12 rebounds while Kyrie Irving added 29 points and James Harden 21 as the Nets stifled the Celtics, who got 22 points on just six of 20 shooting from Jayson Tatum in a losing effort.
Luka Doncic had his third triple-double in seven career playoff games, scoring 31 points with 10 rebounds and 11 assists as the Dallas Mavericks pulled out a 113-103 road win at the Los Angeles Clippers to open their series. Tim Hardaway Jr added 21 points on eight of 13 shooting for the fifth-seeded Mavericks, while Kawhi Leonard had 26 points and Paul George 23 to lead the Clippers.
Butler cannot find the range
Jimmy Butler came close to recording a triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in the Miami Heat's 109-107 overtime loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, but the five-time All-Star made only four of 22 shots from the field.
Middleton gives Bucks win
Khris Middleton's contested jumper with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime gave the Bucks the Game 1 win at home. Middleton's 27 points led the Bucks, with Giannis Antetokounmpo adding 26 points and 18 rebounds.
Saturday's results
Milwaukee Bucks 109-107 Miami Heat (OT)
Dallas Mavericks 113-103 Los Angeles Clippers
Brooklyn Nets 104-93 Boston Celtics
Portland Trail Blazers 123-109 Denver Nuggets
Lakers face Suns
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers got the win they needed in the play-in tournament and they will open the playoffs proper with Game 1 of their best-of-seven series against the second-seeded Suns in Phoenix.
Far from feeling the pressure as the NBA playoffs got underway Saturday, Luka Doncic was right back in his comfort zone.
A year after a spectacular showing in a first-round series loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, the young Dallas Mavericks star was at his best again as the two teams faced off once again Saturday.
Doncic had 31 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists as the Mavericks took the opening game 113-103 in Los Angeles.
It was the 22-year-old's third triple-double in seven career playoff games -- a first in NBA history.
"Playoffs are fun, and especially they are more fun if you win, obviously," Doncic told reporters after the game. "It's fun basketball."
Particularly when the Slovenian is on his game, as he usually is.
Doncic averaged 31.0 points, 9.8 rebounds and 8.7 assists in last year's 4-2 series loss to the Clippers, right in line with his Game 1 showing Saturday.
The Clippers threw a variety of defensive looks his way, but he managed to either find the shot he needed or get the ball to someone else.
"He's a very unique player for a 22-year-old," said Mavs coach Rick Carlisle.
"The level of poise that he has, and his ability to slow down the game, to see what's going on -- even when the [shot] clock is at six or seven seconds, he still is able to slow it down and hold that ball just long enough to get a team-mate a great look.
"He was great tonight and I thought his defense was very good, too."
Carlisle also said he thought Doncic was at his best on the kind of stage the playoffs offer.
Asked whether he agreed, Doncic deflected the praise, pointing to his youth.
"I hope I'm at my best, but I think that's far away," he said. "I'm only in my third season, so I've got still a lot to learn.
"We just go out there and have fun and try to win the game."
Phil Mickelson's dream week at the US PGA Championship continued Saturday, putting him in position to become golf's oldest major championship winner.
The 50-year-old survived early on the back nine to shoot 70 and hold a one-stroke lead over Brooks Koepka at seven under par for the tournament.
He knows he does not have many chances left to collect his sixth major title, but he said he's trying to keep his focus on his game rather than thinking about the big-picture implications.
"I think that because I feel or believe that I'm playing really well and I have an opportunity to contend for a major championship on Sunday and I'm having so much fun that it's easier to stay in the present and not get ahead of myself," Mickelson told reporters.
Mickelson opened a gap on the field early on moving day with birdies on four of his first seven holes, then another at the 10th.
"I felt I had a very clear picture on every shot, and I've been swinging the club well, and so I was executing," he said of that stretch. "I just need to keep that picture a few more times."
The picture got a bit fuzzy at 12 and 13, where Mickelson went bogey-double bogey.
He said his focus slipped on those two holes.
"It's just an example of losing the feel and the picture of the shot, and I get a little bit jumpy, a little bit fast from the top, and it just -- when that happens I get narrow and I end up flipping it," he said.
"So those two swings were more a product of not staying or keeping the feel and the focus of the shot. And so that's just a small little thing that I need to iron out."
Mickelson finished the round with five consecutive pars to ensure his place atop the leaderboard heading into Sunday.
His remarkable week has put him in position to surpass Julius Boros, who won the 1968 PGA at age 48, as the oldest major winner, but Mickelson was in no mood to ponder what he already had accomplished just by getting this far.
"I'm more focused on a few things that I need to work on tonight before tomorrow's round, and I'm not really dwelling back on what took place today," he said.
"I just know I'm having a lot of fun and I'm very appreciative of the way the people have been supportive."
Brooks Koepka is exactly where he expects to be heading into the final round of a major, particularly the US PGA Championship.
After carding a two-under-par 70 on Saturday, Koepka sits one stroke back of leader Phil Mickelson at six under for the tournament, putting him in position to win his fifth major championship.
Considering Koepka has been no worse than tied for fourth after 12 of the last 13 rounds at the PGA, his spot in Sunday's final pairing is familiar territory.
"It just feels good, feels normal," Koepka told reporters after his round.
"It's what you're supposed to do, what you practice for.
"I'm right where I want to be, and we'll see how tomorrow goes.
"Just be within three of the lead going into the back nine and you've got a chance."
Koepka trailed Mickelson by five strokes at one point Saturday but saw the five-time major winner slide back to him on the back nine.
A bogey on 18 denied Koepka a chance to match Mickelson at seven under, but the 2018 and 2019 PGA winner is looking forward to a potential one-on-one showdown in the final round.
"I can see what he's doing, and everybody else is in front of me, so I'll have a good idea on the leaderboard what's going on and just need to putt better -- simple," Koepka said.
"If I strike it anything like I did the last three days, I'll have a chance."
If he can pull it off, Koepka would become the first player to win the same major three times in a four-year stretch since Tom Watson captured the Open Championship title in 1980, 1982 and 1983.
Though the wind that had made scoring difficult at Kiawah Island's Ocean Course the first two days died down a bit Saturday, Koepka anticipates a challenging final round.
"it's a tough golf course," he said. "I thought it definitely played easier for sure, but this golf course you can make one little mistake and it can be costly.
"That's why it's a major championship. I think this place is perfect for it, and it will be fun to watch tomorrow."
Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka both shot 70 Saturday to set up a mouth-watering final pairing at the US PGA Championship.
At seven under par for the tournament, Mickelson holds a one-stroke lead over his countryman entering the final round at Kiawah Island's Ocean Course after saving par on 18 while Koepka bogeyed the last.
The 50-year-old Mickelson is the fourth player aged 50 or older to lead a major after three rounds in the modern era, which began in 1934.
The others were Tom Watson at the 2009 Open Championship, Greg Norman at the 2008 Open, and Julius Boros at the 1973 US Open -- none of whom ended up holding on for the win.
Mickelson has been resilient this week in South Carolina, though, steadying himself Saturday after going bogey-double bogey on 12 and 13 to make par on the final five holes.
While Mickelson's resurgence has excited the fans, Koepka remains a model of consistency at the PGA.
He has finished at least tied for fourth in 12 of the last 13 rounds at the major, and he could become the first player to win the same major three times in a four-year stretch since Watson won the Open in 1980, 1982 and 1983.
Mickelson will be shooting for his sixth major title and first since the 2013 Open, while Koepka seeks his fifth.
Louis Oosthuizen, who shared the lead with Mickelson entering play Saturday, managed just three birdies on the day on the way to an even-par 72 that left him five under for the tournament.
American Kevin Streelman (70) is at four under, while Oosthuizen's South African countrymen Branden Grace and Christiaan Bezuidenhout are at three under after even-par rounds of their own.
Bryson DeChambeau (71) was unable to gain ground on the leaders and enters Sunday five back of Mickelson along with Gary Woodland (72) and Joaquin Niemann (71).
Jordan Spieth matched Billy Horschel for the low round of the day with a 68, and he sits at even par for the tournament along with Rickie Fowler (69) and Keegan Bradley (72).
Reigning Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama fell from contention with a 76, putting him at one over with the likes of Shane Lowry (73), Padraig Harrington (73) and Ian Poulter (73).
Pep Guardiola would love to bring a free-scoring striker to Manchester City, amid speculation surrounding Harry Kane, with Sergio Aguero saying goodbye to the club.
Aguero will leave City after next week's Champions League final against Chelsea in Porto.
The Argentine, who joined the club in 2011 and has gone on to become the Premier League's leading foreign goalscorer, as well as City's record scorer, has won five top-flight titles in Manchester.
Injuries have marred his final season, with the 32-year-old – who has reportedly agreed to join Barcelona – featuring for just 682 minutes across 18 appearances (eight starts) in all competitions.
Aguero faces a late fitness test to see if he will be able to play against Everton on Sunday, in City's final league game of the season, which will take place in front of 10,000 fans at the Etihad Stadium.
In Aguero's absence this term, and with understudy Gabriel Jesus not quite hitting the heights initially expected of him, Guardiola has often utilised a false nine system, with Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Ferran Torres and Kevin De Bruyne called upon to fill in up top.
It has served City well, Guardiola's team reclaiming the league title, winning their fourth straight EFL Cup and reaching their first Champions League final.
However, links to a new striker have not gone away, with Borussia Dortmund's in-demand forward Erling Haaland a mooted target, though Kane's recent comments about the possibility of leaving Tottenham will not have gone unnoticed.
Kane added further fuel to the fire when, in an interview with Gary Neville on The Overlap, he declared his admiration for De Bruyne, labelling the Belgian playmaker a "striker's dream".
Pressed on possibly targetting a striker of Kane's ilk, Guardiola told a news conference: "I would love to have a guy who scores 50 goals.
"I would love it – but at the same I don't like just to have all the pressure on one player. Even at Barcelona Lionel Messi scored more than 50 goals every season, but in that team for example, in our first season Samuel Eto'o scored a lot.
"To win titles, especially the Premier League, the statistics speak for themselves, you need at least three guys [scoring] more than 10, 12, 15 goals to be competitors. But when you have a guy who scores 25 or 30, it helps a lot.
"We will try due to the way we play to have everybody involved in scoring goals – the more players we have with this quality the better we will be."
HOW HAVE CITY'S GOALS COME IN 2020-21?
With Aguero only managing four goals in all competitions – and just two from open play – the onus has been on other players to step up.
The standout in this regard has been Ilkay Gundogan, who has transformed himself into a superb attacking midfielder this term, scoring a team-high 17 times across all competitions, with the German averaging a goal every 194 minutes.
De Bruyne has tallied the most attempts (104), scoring nine goals and teeing up a further 17, while Riyad Mahrez is tied on 14 goals with Raheem Sterling.
Foden has netted 15 goals, all of which have come from open play. Torres and Jesus have both contributed 13, with John Stones and Bernardo Silva (both five) also chipping in with their fair share.
THE FINAL FAREWELL
It will no doubt be an emotional day for Aguero on Sunday, though he can take solace in the fact that there will be supporters on hand to wish him well.
"My message to the fans is: 'Thank you,'" Aguero wrote in a statement on the club's offciial website. "Thank you to the City fans for always supporting me.
"When you feel the love from your fans, everything is a lot easier. It's the same for anyone in any line of work – when someone believes in you, you do better. I owe a lot to the people at this club because I have the City fans to thank for everything.
"We have won a lot of games. I leave here feeling very satisfied with what I have achieved here. In the last games, I will do my best so that I can leave on a high.
"I want all the fans who saw me play in the stadium to remember me for what they saw me do on the pitch. I always say that you enjoy yourself on the pitch because of the support of the fans."
Anthony Joshua has been ordered to fight Oleksandr Usyk after hopes for a summer showdown with Tyson Fury faded this week.
The WBO on Saturday sent a letter ordering the unified heavyweight titleholder to fight Usyk (18-0), the sanctioning body's mandatory challenger.
While Joshua (24-1) holds the WBO, IBF and WBA belts, Fury (30-0-1) claimed the WBC title from the previously unbeaten Deontay Wilder (41-1-1) in their February 2020 rematch following a draw in their initial bout.
On Monday, a judge in the United States ruled that the dethroned champion had the right to face the Briton for a third time before September 15.
Two days later, the WBO sent Joshua's promoter Eddie Hearn a letter giving him 48 hours to show cause why it should not mandate a title defense against Usyk.
On Friday, Hearn asked the body for an extension until Monday, but the WBO denied that request Saturday.
The WBO gave the Joshua and Usyk camps 10 days to finalise an agreement for a fight, or the body will order a purse bid.
Should that happen, the letter said, Joshua would receive 80 per cent of the minimum $1million bid and Usyk 20 per cent.
Charles Leclerc's chances of starting his home grand prix in pole position appeared to have received a boost on Saturday, with Ferrari finding no gearbox damage in initial checks.
Leclerc took pole for the Monaco Grand Prix in dramatic circumstances earlier in the day when he crashed while top of the timesheets.
The crash forced qualifying to be halted early. Leclerc flicked off one barrier and went hurtling into another just as his rivals – including second-placed Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas in third – seemed ready to mount a challenge in the closing moments of the session.
Leclerc admitted he was worried the impact and the damage to his car may mean its gearbox required replacing, which would see him given a grid penalty.
However, tests conducted by Ferrari found no "serious damage" to the gearbox, though further checks will be carried out on Sunday to ensure it is useable.
This update came after the post-qualifying news conference, in which Leclerc said: "I have mixed feelings a little bit, because with the crash I don’t know where I’m starting tomorrow yet. It depends on the damage on the car."
It was the first time Leclerc had made it to Q3 on his home circuit.
"Well, it didn't feel great to go Q3, as at least we were expecting to go through to Q3," he said.
"It would have been a big disappointment if I was not going into Q3, 2019 was a hard one to take as we definitely had the potential to be up there but we couldn't finalise it after the mistake we have done in Q1. Hopefully we will end up this weekend on a high, which never happened at home."
Meanwhile, two weeks after securing a 100th pole position of his Formula One career, championship leader Lewis Hamilton had to settle for seventh on the grid.
"[The car] didn't feel too bad on Thursday, and then we made some changes and it felt pretty terrible today, so of course we go back to the drawing board," Hamilton said.
"I think from my point I just had such a lack of grip out there, which then leads you to overdrive and start trying to get more from it to no end – it doesn't improve.
"Today was a question of tyres, the tyres were just not working. I was sliding around. I've not spoken to the engineers just yet. Valtteri did a better job at the end of the day."
Hamilton's poor run means that title challenger Verstappen is well placed to take advantage.
"It's always important to score a lot of points, but of course you need to be ahead of your main rivals as much as you can," said the Red Bull driver.
"So today was good – but of course we need to finish that off tomorrow."
Atletico Madrid are champions of Spain again after holding off heavyweight pair Real Madrid and Barcelona in the closing stages to win their second LaLiga crown in eight seasons.
Atleti beat Real Valladolid 2-1 on Saturday to finish two points above Madrid – the only side that could catch them heading into the final round of games after Barca lost ground.
Diego Simeone's men moved into top spot with a 4-0 win over Cadiz on November 7 and, despite some inconsistency over the past two months, they have stayed there ever since.
With the help of Opta, we took a look at the numbers behind Los Colchoneros' latest triumph.
ATLETI BREAK MADRID-BARCA STRONGHOLD
Atleti have now been crowned champions of Spain 11 times – three of those in the last 43 years – which is third only to perennial winners Real Madrid (34 titles) and Barcelona (26).
Athletic Bilbao are next on the list with eight titles to their name, while Valencia have come out on top on six occasions.
Indeed, Simeone's charges are the only side other than Madrid or Barca to finish at the summit of Spain's top flight in the past 16 years, doing so this season and in 2013-14.
Atletico have now claimed the title in at least one season in eight of the last 10 decades – only in the 1920s and 1980s did they fail to do so.
DESERVED TITLE WINNERS
Atletico have spent 30 matchdays on top of the table, despite only stringing together successive wins on a couple of occasions since the end of January.
They won 26, drew eight and lost four of their 38 matches to end the season with 86 points – their longest winning run being the eight strung together between December 19 and January 31.
It is the 10th time Atleti's fate has gone down to the final day of the season, most dramatically of all in 2014 when drawing away at Barca to hold off their title rivals.
That season, incidentally, Simeone's side spent 11 matchdays alone at the top of the table.
THE CHANGING FACE OF ATELTICO
Another interesting aspect of Atletico's title success is that this is the first season they have averaged more than 50 per cent possession in the league under Simeone.
They have averaged 52.02 per cent possession in LaLiga in 2020-21, which compares to 48.75 per cent in the season they last finished top, and is an increase on the 47.86 per cent they managed last season when finishing 17 points off top spot.
Increased possession has led to a better balance, too, with Atletico scoring 67 goals this season, which is the joint-third most they have mustered in Simeone's nine seasons at the helm, alongside 2014-15 and behind 2013-14 (77) and 2016-17 (70).
The 25 goals they have conceded, meanwhile, is their fourth-best return over that time, their best season in that regard being the 18 goals shipped in 2015-16.
OBLAK, SUAREZ AND LLORENTE KEY TO SUCCESS
As Simeone has himself repeatedly pointed out, this has once again been a collective effort from Atletico.
However, there is no doubt that this latest title triumph would not have been possible if not for certain individuals – none more so than Luis Suarez, who joined from Barcelona at the start of the season for a small fee.
The Uruguay international scored comeback-clinching goals for Atletico in their final two games of the season and won 21 points for his side in total – more than any other player in the division – with his 21 goals.
Indeed, only Radamel Falcao in 2011-12 (24 goals) and Antoine Griezmann in 2014-15 (22) have scored more goals in their first season at the club in the 21st century.
At the opposite end, goalkeeper Jan Oblak made 103 saves from the 125 shots faced in LaLiga this season – an 80 per cent save rate, the best percentage of any keeper in Europe's top five leagues among those to have played at least three times.
Marcos Llorente is another deserving of special recognition, having played a direct part in 23 LaLiga goals – 12 of his own and a further 11 assists – a tally that is bettered by just Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes (30) among midfielders in Europe's top leagues.
His 12 goals came from an expected goals (xG) return of 3.4 – a difference of 8.6 – which is the biggest differential between xG and actual goals of any player in the big five leagues bar Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski (41 goals from an xG of 32.3).
Diego Simeone says Atletico Madrid's latest LaLiga title success feels particularly special in a year complicated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Atleti beat Real Valladolid 2-1 at Estadio Jose Zorrilla on Saturday to finish two points above Real Madrid, who themselves completed a turnaround by the same scoreline against Villarreal.
It is Atleti's 11th title and their second in nine years under Simeone, on top of winning two Europa Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups, the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana.
That sees Simeone overtake Luis Aragones (seven trophies) as the Spanish side's most successful ever coach.
Atleti were top for 30 matchdays and, despite being given a scare by Madrid and Barcelona in the closing weeks, Simeone feels his side are deserving champions in what has been a tough year for everyone off the field.
"It has been a complicated year," Simeone told Movistar+. "It's one of the best years to be champions. I'm happy for a lot of people.
"Many people have been lost to the virus. For Atletico to be champions is a different feeling.
"The two league titles we have won come with different feelings. The world is experiencing a bad situation and I hope that we have given a lot of people some joy.
"Spending as long as we did on top is huge. I'm grateful, especially to those who played less than others. We stuck to our goals throughout."
Long-serving boss Simeone, who has also guided Atleti to a couple of Champions League finals, hinted earlier this season he may soon seek a new challenge.
The 51-year-old accepts that his training methods can take their toll on players but can see a bright future for Atleti going forward as he hinted at a longer stay.
"I've no doubts that people can get tired, but I'm very hard-headed," he said. "I knew and know that this club can keep growing and I hope it will continue like this.
"The club have done incredible work. Miguel [Angel Gil Marin], Enrique [Cerezo] and all of the unseen people have given us stability beyond results. They've always wanted this.
"They're not here celebrating, but soon we'll all embrace."
Oscar Plano gave relegated Valladolid a shock half-time lead against Atletico, but Angel Correa's stunning solo effort – the Argentine's 20th direct goal involvement for Atleti across all competitions in 2020-21 – equalised before Suarez's winner.
Suarez's 21 top-flight goals have been worth 21 points to Atleti this season, more than any other LaLiga player, and Simeone was quick to praise both of his forwards, who have kept big-money signing Joao Felix out of the side during the run-in.
"I've been saying that Angel has needed a goal for a long time," Simeone said. "It makes me happy that he's been called up by the [Argentina] national team.
"As for Suarez, I said before that his surname speaks for itself!"
Phil Mickelson reached the turn at Kiawah Island's Ocean Course four shots clear of his nearest US PGA Championship rivals, before sinking a birdie on the 10th.
Mickelson – a PGA championship winner in 2005 – was in sensational form in South Carolina over the first two days and carried the same level of performance into Saturday's play.
He was four under through the first eight holes, though did make his first mistake of the day on the ninth, dropping his drive short and left of the green, but recovered to make par.
That had him on 32 through nine, with Louis Oosthuizen, tied for second on five under, going through in 36.
Tied with Oosthuizen were Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and Branden Grace, while Brooks Koepka was at four under when reaching the turn, but nosed himself up to T2 with a 12-foot putt.
But the chasing pack were further behind when Mickelson rolled a birdie putt in on the 10th to move to 10 under.
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