Coronavirus: Valverde and Madrid eager to fight for title after COVID-19 crisis

Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde is eyeing LaLiga glory following the coronavirus outbreak.

LaLiga has been suspended since March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though the league is hoping to resume in June.

Madrid were two points behind defending champions and bitter rivals Barcelona through 27 matches at the time of postponement.

Coronavirus has wreaked havoc in Spain and across the globe, and Madrid star Valverde told Real Madrid TV: "We must keep on training hard for the rest of the season and hopefully we will win the league.

"I'm looking forward to representing this jersey again and showing why we're here and fighting for the goal of being champions.

"We have to be professional, eat and take good care of ourselves and train together. This is something we can do together, not only the team but the whole country, supporting us and going forward with a lot of strength. We have to train hard and support each other so that we are all ready when the games return."

Madrid had also lost 2-1 to Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu in the opening leg of their Champions League last-16 tie before the season came to a halt.

The Champions League could return in August and Uruguayan Valverde added: "We have the desire, the will and the excitement to go back to that game and fight to turn it around in order to qualify. We can never lack drive at this club to go for everything."