Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde refuses to rule out Real Madrid as a late season title challenger.

Real Madrid's sorry defence of the LaLiga title has been one of the stories of the campaign thus far, however the former Athletic Club coach refuses to count Los Blancos out completely.

"Of course they're a rival for the league title," he said after victory over Malaga.

"They will remain to be a rival until the mathematics of the table suggest otherwise.

"I don't discount them, and they'd do well not to discount themselves either."