Sevilla Coach Michel has backed up Marcelo Bielsa's claim that Athletic Bilbao are a better team than they were last year.
Bielsa made the point earlier in the week, a bold one given that his side have struggled in La Liga and are on the cusp of Europa League elimination, but Michel – whose side travel to SanMames on Sunday – agrees.
“There is a path leading from what they did last year,” the former Real Madrid midfielder told reporters. “They are doing some interesting things, with their total football and the momentum of [Aritz] Aduriz.
“They look like a different team compared to last year. Their players are unpredictable and can do much harm.”
The former Getafe Coach concluded with an evaluation of his side's form and a defence of striker Baba Diawara.
“At the beginning of the season we were good but now the results are worse than the performances. We have to change things.
“Diawara is not having much effect because he enters the field with the pressure of having to be better than Alvaro Negredo. Now he's playing in front of 40,000 spectators, when he once played in front of 1,000. He was fine against Levante, he missed a chance, but is doing what is asked of him.”
