Valverde: Athletic starting from scratch

Ernesto Valverde claims Athletic Bilbao have shown great desire to ‘start from scratch’ ahead of Sunday’s encounter with Malaga in La Liga.

Los Leones currently languish in 13th place, having picked up just 19 points from their first 19 League fixtures of the season, and prepare to face the Andalucians for a second consecutive matchday.

“We have great enthusiasm to start from scratch. The second round of fixtures must be different to the first,” the Coach said at a Press conference.

“In the first round, we went through some bad times but regrouped and went from there. Now we must try to do the same thing.

“The team look good to me. I’ve never seen them give up, regardless of how things have gone.

“It’s clear that the three points are very important. We’ll need to create chances in front of goal and not concede during defensive situations.

"The games we’ve lost at home have come against teams who play very deep, and we failed to open them up.

“We’ll be consistent with our style of play but also aware that we lost those games at home.

“I’m expecting a more dangerous Malaga than the one we met on the first day of the season because they now have more confidence and need to win themselves.

“[Regarding Asier Illarramendi], we’re always attentive to the market, but there are no new developments.

“He’d be a good signing, not only now but for the future because he’s a young player. I don’t know what will happen. We have a week.

“There’s nothing new [on any possible departures, referring to speculation linking Jon Aurtenetxe and Kike Sola with moves away].”

Tags Asier Illarramendi Ernesto Valverde Transfers
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