Linfield assistant manager Ross Oliver is under no illusions heading into Saturday's crunch Premiership finale with Cliftonville.
The Blues need a point to guarantee second spot this season, and an automatic European spot.
If they lose, and Glentoran beat Crusaders at Seaview, then David Healy side's marathon season will be extended into May.
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Saturday will be Linfield's 60th competitive game of the campaign, a gruelling schedule that Oliver doesn't want to prolong any further.
"Obviously Saturday is very important. The last game of the season, or we hope it's the last," he said.
"We are aware of what we need to do and what we need in the final game. We have been preparing properly all week and hopefully we can get over the line and get a break.
"Saturday is our 60th game and it has been a marathon. I don't think people understand how difficult it is for players and staff to keep that motivation and keep going for as long as we have been going.
"It's a credit to the players and staff for being so consistent and ready in every game. But it has been really difficult with the amount of games we have had to play but nobody feels sorry for you.
"You just have to get on with it."
Cliftonville ran Linfield to the wire in last season's title race, but the Reds' challenge this term faltered in the final stretch.
They currently sit fourth in the table and are confirmed for the Euro play-offs, and have a new interim manager at the helm following Paddy McLaughlin's shock exit last week.
Declan O'Hara kicked off his caretaker tenure with a 3-3 draw against Crusaders last Saturday, and now he faces the challenge of the dethroned Blues.
And while the Reds may have one eye on the upcoming play-offs, Oliver expects 'no favours' from their Belfast rivals on Saturday evening.
"We will never get any favours at Solitude, and maybe Cliftonville are a little bit of an unknown quantity after Paddy leaving and Declan coming in as interim boss," Oliver added.
"On any given day any team can beat anyone else. And knowing Declan as well as we do and knowing his character, he will want to beat us.
"We wouldn't expect anything else and we will be prepared for a tough game on Saturday."
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