Athletic Club manager Ernesto Valverde admitted his side are heading into a crucial period of the season with mixed fitness concerns and growing urgency, as he spoke ahead of their La Liga clash with Villarreal As reported by athletic club via their YouTube channel.
He explained that some players are still being carefully monitored after minor setbacks, while others are close to full recovery but not yet guaranteed for selection.
One of the key concerns remains Prados, who has recently had to reduce his workload after what Valverde described as a “normal step back” in his recovery process following a long-term injury.
Valverde also gave updates on Gorosabel and Paredes, noting that both defenders are “close” to being available, with final fitness decisions expected after late assessments.
However, he stressed that the squad is still being managed carefully due to accumulated fatigue at this stage of the season.
Looking ahead to Villarreal, Valverde acknowledged the difficulty of the opponent, praising Marcelino’s side as one of the most organised and dangerous counter-attacking teams in the league.
He made it clear that Athletic must stay alert defensively and maintain balance, especially against a team capable of punishing small mistakes in transition.
A major part of his press conference focused on Athletic’s recent defensive issues. The coach admitted that conceding goals has become too frequent, but he insisted there is no single reason behind it, pointing instead to collective structure and game phases.
“There are many moments where balance comes from how you play. Sometimes you get offensive balance because you create and score, and defensive balance because you don’t concede. We are still searching for that consistency,”
Valverde explained.
He added that while the team has shown moments of control and good pressing, they still need to be more compact, especially in defensive transitions and in protecting central areas near their own box.
Valverde also dismissed the idea that the team is lacking commitment or focus, insisting the squad is still fully engaged despite recent inconsistency.
He stressed that the priority is simply to return to solidity and rediscover the level that previously made them difficult to break down.
We need to go back to being strong near our own goal, more compact, and better organised. That is where we must improve,
he said.
He also addressed concerns about mentality after recent results, rejecting the idea that his players are lacking hunger, and instead describing the issue as one of execution under pressure rather than attitude.
We are playing for everything. There is no question of relaxing. We need three points in every match now,
Valverde stated firmly.
On squad rotation and tactical flexibility, he admitted that changes in positions especially at right-back are a result of searching for solutions due to injuries and fatigue. He confirmed that using players like Dani Vivian in different roles remains a possibility depending on match demands.
Valverde also spoke about Nico Williams, acknowledging that while the winger continues to attract heavy defensive attention, the team must find better ways to support him and create more balanced attacking patterns.
When a player is very dangerous one-on-one, opponents double or triple up on him. That creates space elsewhere, and we must learn to use it better,
he said.
The coach further emphasised that Athletic must focus less on external calculations and more on immediate performance, insisting that results elsewhere in the table do not change their approach.
What difference does it make? You still have to win your match. Whether others win or lose, our task remains the same,
he added.
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He also briefly touched on Villarreal’s strength under Marcelino, describing them as a well-structured side with strong counter-attacking ability and European-level quality, making them a dangerous opponent in any context.
Finally, Valverde reinforced that Athletic’s priority is rediscovering consistency, particularly at San Mamés, where home form remains crucial for their objectives this season.
Recent talking points have also been shaped by Athletic’s wider competitive context. Softfootball reported Lamine Yamal inspired Barcelona to a narrow 1–0 win over Athletic Club in La Liga, highlighting how fine margins have defined recent meetings.
Barcelona also previously delivered a dominant 5–0 victory over Athletic in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final, underlining the challenges Athletic have faced against elite opposition this season.
