Athletic Bilbao Coach Ernesto Valverde says the Europa League quarter-final with Sevilla is the game his side have been ‘dreaming of all season.’
The Primera clubs meet in the competition’s last eight with the first leg at San Mames as Europa League holders Sevilla look to maintain their excellent record in the tournament, with Valverde respectful of Los Rojiblancos.
“It’s a game we’ve been dreaming of playing throughout the season. We’ve been here from the start of the competition, they were in the Champions League,” he noted at a Press conference, AS reports.
“It won’t be definitive. I don’t think the tie will be decided here. It’s a game to enjoy and to compete. We can’t take a step back.
“I’m sure we believe in it and are going to go for everything. Without losing our heads.
“There’s not really a favourite. It doesn’t really matter. You have to respect them because they are defending the trophy, as they were last year. They’ve got the measure of the competition.
“We want to make history. We’d like Athletic to be in a third final.
“In the League, there were times we were evenly matched with Sevilla. Their second goal was a referee’s mistake, as was shown when they removed [Aymeric] Laporte’s card.”
