Emilio Butragueno 'proud' of Real Madrid

Real Madrid director Emilio Butragueno has said that his team can be proud of their attempts to wrest the La Liga title from Barcelona this season.

The Madrid giants ended the campaign with 12 straight league victories, but ultimately fell one point short of Barcelona, who won Spain's top flight for a 24th time.

Butragueno was pleased that his team stuck to their word of challenging "until the last minute" after ending their domestic season with a 2-0 victory at Deportivo La Coruna.

"We said we were going to fight until the last minute. We've done well this season, we won the last 12 games and that says a lot about us. Thank you to the players and the fans, now we have the Champions League Final, we have to prepare very well. We have a tough opponent but it is the hope of everyone," AS quotes the 52-year-old as saying.

"From now we have to think of the final. It's the most prestigious competition and it makes Madrid the world's most prestigious club. The role of the fans is very important, the players arrive very well but Atletico Madrid require the maximum."

Real Madrid will face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League final on May 28 in Milan.