Atletico Madrid homed in on the La Liga title with a 2-1 win over Real Sociedad at the Wanda Metropolitano on Wednesday to move four points clear at the top.
Diego Simeone's side made an aggressive start and after spurning a few early chances it deservedly went ahead with a low finish from Yannick Carrasco in the 16th minute, doubling its lead in the 28th through Argentine forward Angel Correa.
Sociedad had its moments but was denied by six saves from Atletico's talismanic keeper Jan Oblak while forward Portu hit the post late on.
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It finally got a goal when defender Igor Zubeldia bundled the ball into the net in the 83rd minute, ensuring a nerve-shredding finish for the leader.
Atletico was hemmed into its own half for most of the remaining minutes but clung on for the victory and knows it will lift a first La Liga crown since 2014 if it beats Osasuna and Real Valladolid in its final two fixtures.
"If we didn't suffer it wouldn't be us," said Atletico captain Koke.
"We're tired, we worked spectacularly. We got two goals then took a step back, we had some great moments in the game and some less good ones but we got there in the end."
Atletico lead the standings on 80 points, four clear of second-placed Barcelona and five ahead of third-placed Real Madrid, who visit Granada on Thursday.
"There's two games left still, a lot of things can happen. We had a final today, we won it and we have another final on Sunday and will try to win that too," added Koke.
Atletico had earned a crucial draw away to Barcelona on Saturday but the point felt like little after a spirited, ambitious performance at the Camp Nou and the result handed the advantage in the title race to Real.
Yet the champion's 2-2 draw against Sevilla on Sunday meant Atletico's fate was back in its own hands and from the start it went all out for the win, ceding possession to the Basques but eating up the territory with an aggressive pressing game.
Sevilla maintains slim title hopes
A second-half strike from Youssef En-Nesyri gave Sevilla a 1-0 home win over Valencia on Wednesday to keep alive its slim hopes in La Liga's title race.
Moroccan forward En-Nesyri narrowly beat the offside trap to latch on to a through ball from Fernando and score the only goal of the game in the 66th minute.
Sevilla remains fourth in the standings after 36 games but moved on to 74 points, three behind leader Atletico Madrid.
Valencia was left 14th in the standings on 39 points.
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Julen Lopetegui's side pulled itself into the title race at the end of last month but its hopes were hit by a 1-0 defeat at home to Athletic Bilbao on May 3, while Eden Hazard's 94th-minute equaliser in Sunday's 2-2 draw at Real Madrid was another sucker punch.
Midfielder Suso admitted that even after the victory it was not really expecting to have a chance of pipping Atletico or fellow title rivals Real or Barcelona to the crown.
"We're not really aiming to win La Liga, the Bilbao game left us devastated and the objective is now to get as many points as possible," he said.
"That defeat was a real shame as people wanted to see someone different win it. We then had a very difficult game against Madrid and got a point and today we were able to get back to winning."
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