‘It will be the mental factor that decides title race’

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone said the team with the most mental strength will prevail in La Liga's title race, which remained on a knife edge after his side were beaten 2-1 at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.

"People ask me what the most important factor will be and it's obvious to me that it will be the mental factor," Simeone told reporters after a second defeat in five league games.

Atletico raced 10 points clear at the top in January with a game in hand but a dismal run of form has seen their lead cut to two points and Barcelona will knock them off the summit if they beat visiting Granada on Thursday. Real Madrid are also only two points behind Atletico while Sevilla are three back in a thrilling four-way tilt, making the Spanish title race the most compelling in Europe's top five leagues.

In Ligue 1, Lille jumped back above Paris Saint-Germain to the top of the table by coming from two goals down to beat fourth-placed Lyon 3-2.

In Italy, a superb strike from substitute Álvaro Morata was only enough to earn Juventus a 1-1 Serie A draw at Fiorentina in a result that could prove costly for the Turin club's Champions League qualification hopes.

The result moved the champions level with second-placed Milan in the standings on 66 points, but the two teams behind them –Atalanta, on 65 points, and Napoli on 63 – have a game in hand. Fiorentina are six points clear of the relegation zone.

Matteo Darmian was Internazionale's unlikely saviour once again as the defender came off the bench to score in a 1-0 win over Verona that moved Antonio Conte's side a step closer to the title.   Inter moved on to 79 points, 13 clear of second-placed Milan with five games remaining.