‘An away goal is vital’

Ernesto Valverde is aware how important Athletic Bilbao’s Champions League play-off with Napoli is this evening.

Los Leones travel to Italy to take on the Partenopei for the first leg of their European clash tonight.

And the Coach has admitted that it is vital his men come away from Stadio San Paolo with at least one away goal.

“We know the value of an away goal and we will try to score. We can't leave everything resting on the return game,” he told a Press conference.

“In a tie like this if you find yourself in trouble at any moment over the two games you'll be out.

“A quick free-kick, which they are experts at, or poor marking can knock you out of the tie. We have to be very concentrated.

“If we take recent history into account it's Napoli, who played in the Champions League last season while we have not done so for many years. 

“It is not necessarily an advantage being the favourite. It's an open tie and it will be difficult for both sides.

“However, we know they have very good players on the break – Callejón, Mertens, Insigne and Higuaín.

“I am concerned about that and other things. If you hand them the initiative they can take the game away from you.

“We're really looking forward to the game though. It's obvious we have a lot of responsibility with a lot of people behind us driving us on. 

“We won this right last year in the League. There is pressure of course, for Napoli and for us. We are going to play to our strengths. We are not over-pressured.”

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