Valverde hails Cup success as Athletic march into semis: 'A massive boost for us'
Athletic Bilbao's manager celebrates Copa del Rey progress while acknowledging league struggles, as Williams' late heroics seal semi-final spot against Valencia.
Athletic Club finding their groove in the Copa del Rey despite their league form taking a bit of a battering lately. Ernesto Valverde’s men have booked their semi-final spot with a spirited performance against Valencia.
Cup specialists finding form when it matters
The Basque outfit have turned the Copa into their bread and butter in recent seasons, consistently going deep in the competition while their La Liga form has been a bit hit and miss. This latest cup run provides a proper shot in the arm for Valverde’s squad.
“It’s a success for us and a big boost for the team at this moment,” the gaffer noted after the match, clearly chuffed with his team’s fighting spirit despite some dodgy moments along the way.
Selection gambles pay off
Valverde raised a few eyebrows with his team selection, but the old dog knew what he was doing. “I understand what people might think seeing the lineup. Managers always take risks, and we thought this was the best selection,” he explained.
The boss was particularly pleased with veteran Nacho Monreal’s performance, who was thrown in at the deep end against some physical Valencia forwards. Athletic were stretched thin defensively, with Valverde having to carefully manage minutes between Yuri and Laporte due to medical restrictions.
Williams provides the magic
Iñaki Williams proved to be the difference-maker, with Valverde acknowledging how important the goal was for both player and team:
“The season hasn’t been easy for anyone given all the situations we’ve faced. Goals always benefit forward players and especially the team because we urgently need results.”
Penalty drama and touchline antics
It wasn’t all plain sailing for Athletic. Young Padilla had a nightmare moment with an own goal but recovered well, while a missed penalty by Jauregizar could have made things more comfortable.
When asked about the penalty taker selection, Valverde showed his typical dry wit: “Someone must have decided. I usually have something to do with what happens on the pitch. He missed it, but considering our penalty history, anyone can take them – we don’t score them all!”
The manager also got involved in some touchline handbags with Valencia’s Copete, later admitting: “If they were going to kick up a fuss, so were we. The only problem is players usually risk a yellow, while managers risk a red.”
Eyes on the semis
With Athletic now in the hat for the semi-finals, Valverde isn’t getting ahead of himself, keeping his focus firmly on their upcoming weekend fixture rather than potential semi-final opponents.
For a club with Athletic’s cup pedigree, this run provides a welcome distraction from their league struggles and gives their supporters something to get proper excited about as they dream of silverware.